Dominating the Praça da Figueira (Square of the Fig Tree, though there are no fig trees here…read moretoday), this statue represents King John I (1357-1433) by sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida. The monument also carries medallions with the effigies of Nuno Álvares Pereira and João das Regras, two key characters in the 1385 Revolution that brought John I to power. King John I, also referred to as John of Aviz, is recognized chiefly for his role in Portugal's victory in a succession war with Castile (what later became much of Spain), preserving his country's independence and establishing the Aviz dynasty on the Portuguese throne. His long reign of 48 years saw the beginning of Portugal's overseas expansion. If you look at Iberia and wonder why there's this carve-out of Portugal from Spain, that's to King John I's victory. You might wonder why the statue is not in the center of the square and that's a great question. It was moved here so that it is at the head of the Rua da Prata and is visible 600 meters away in the Praça do Comércio (if you squint and there are no large vehicles on the road). This large public square came to be following the 1755 earthquake when the the Hospital Real de Todos os Santos was greatly damaged and demolished around 1775. Around 1885, a large covered marked was built which existed until 1949 when it was demolished and this has been an open space every since. [Review 16598 overall - 115 in Portugal - 108 of 2022.]

This 12 foot tall statue stands in front of a cafe in Largo de São Carlos opposite the Teatro…read moreNacional de São Carlos. It is a tribute to Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa (1888-1935) who was born and lived here until age 5. The sculpture depicts a man with a book as his head and on the cover are the words "LISBOA" and "PESSOA". The sculpture was unveiled in 2008 on the 120th anniversary of Pessoa's birth. Pessoa was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, publisher, translator, and philosopher who is regarded as one of the best poets to have written in the Portuguese language and one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century. He translated from and wrote in both French and English. [Review 19026 overall - 222 in Portugal - 2550 of 2022.]

The statue of the first Duke of Terceira, António José de Sousa Manuel de Meneses Severim de…read moreNoronha (1792-1860) is placed in the center of the square with the same name in Cais do Sodré. The statue was inaugurated in 1877. Terceira is one of the islands in the Azores archipelago and is the capital. The Azores islands fall under Portuguese administration. It also points out the "Peninsular War" of 1809-1815 when the French forces were expelled from Portugal The statue honors the commander of the landing of constitutional and liberal troops in Lisbon. Among many other roles, he served Commander-in-Chief of the Portuguese Army, 1st Marquis, 7th Earl of Vila Flor, member of the high nobility and heir to one of the richest and oldest Portuguese houses. [Review 19028 overall - 224 in Portugal - 2552 of 2022.]

This statue of Eça de Queiroz (1845-1900) stands in a small plaza opposite the Consulate of Brazil…read more The plaza is named after Joaquim Pedro Quintela (1748-1817), a member of the Council of Queen Mary I and the owner of a monopoly on the tobacco trade. The statue is a bronze replica of the original that was unveiled in 1903 and depicts him holding a nude woman that symbolically represents the "truth." It is allegedly modeled after his wife, Keixera. Three of his books, "Os Maias", "O Crime do Padre Amaro" and "A Relíquia" are some of the most important Portuguese "realism" writings. Critics rank him alongside Dickens, Balzac and Tolstoy. In addition to the writings, he also a diplomat, representing Portugal in Cuba and England and others. The statue itself is lovely, if a little rough-hewn in the bodies. The facial expression is detailed and worth a stop if you're walking *down* the steep hill of Rua do Alecrim. [Review 18998 overall - 196 in Portugal - 2522 of 2022.]

Standing proudly in the center of the plaza, this equestrian statue is of King José the first, also…read moreknown as Joseph I. The third child and second son of King Dom John V, Joseph became his father's heir as an infant when his older brother, Dom Pedro, Prince of Brazil, died. He reigned from 1750 until 1777. In 1770, an international competition was held for the creation of a statue of the king. It is 14 meters (42 feet) tall on a limestone pedestal. It is the oldest public statue of Lisbon and the country. At the horses feet, it is walking on snakes. At the front of the statue, a relief shows the royal coat of arms with a portrait of the Marquis of Pombal and on the opposite side, a bas-relief allegory to the Royal Generosity, translating the monarch's commitment to the reconstruction of the city destroyed by the Earthquake. He is flanked respectively by allegorical sculptures of Triumph and Fame, which symbolize the submitting of the continents to the Portuguese. Joseph's reign included the famous and terrible Lisbon earthquake of 1755 that caused a firestorm and tsunami that killed between 30,000 and 40,000 inhabitants of the city. The earthquake caused Joseph to develop a severe case of claustrophobia, and he was never again comfortable living within a walled building. Consequently, he moved the royal court to an extensive complex of tents in the hills of Ajuda. As equestrian statues go, it is quite well done and loaded with symbolism. [Review 16576 overall - 94 in Portugal - 86 of 2022.]

Located in the roundabout at the center of the Praça do Chile and next to the Arroios metro…read morestation, this is Fernão de Magalhães (1480-1521). He is the Portuguese navigator who led the first circumnavigation of the globe (from 1519 to 1522). You might be more familiar with his anglicized name, Ferdinand Magellan. In 1512, he embarked on the fleet of António de Abreu in search of the discovery of the Moluccas, also known as the Spice Islands. The expedition of Fernão de Magalhães and Elcano was part of the context of the voyages of discovery, represented by personalities such as Christopher Columbus, Bartolomeu Dias, Américo Vespúcio, Balboa, Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral, among others. This process of maritime expansion was driven by the desire to discover routes that would lead to the Indies in search of spices. He was the first to reach Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of the American continent, to cross the Strait that now bears his name, and to cross the Pacific Ocean, which he named after him. Ferdinand Magellan was killed in battle at Cebu, in the Philippines. The Magellanic penguin was named after him, as Magellan was the first European to have seen one. Fernão's navigational skills have also been recognized in naming objects associated with astronomy, including the Magellanic Clouds, the lunar craters of Magellan, and the Martian craters of Magellan and NASA 's Magellan space probe. Magellan is also depicted on the famous Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries) in Lisbon harbor https://www.yelp.com/biz/padrão-dos-descobrimentos-lisboa-3?hrid=gQCw9lNKnWmIf6DngrIoAQ. [Review 19007 overall - 205 in Portugal - 2531 of 2022.]

This statue of King Carlos I was unveiled in February 2008 to mark 100 years since he was…read moreassassinated on February 1, 1908. The statue is next to the Palácio da Cidadela de Cascais and depicts the King standing on the edge of the rail of the yacht Amélia, contemplating the bay through binoculars in hand and dressed in a Navy uniform. It was cast in bronze and rests on a stone base "blue from Cascais", bushhammered "in order to symbolize the sea." The edge of the vessel is in steel, iron, brass and wood. The sculpture is by artist Luís Valadares. [Review 19042 overall - 237 in Portugal - 11 of 2023.]

Outdoor escalators are rather rare across the world so spotting this one and then riding it was a…read morefun experience. Unfortunately, the Escadinhas da Saúde is an "UP" only ride you can't up/down/up to get another easy ride. Completed in 2018 after 18 months of construction, the escalator takes the work out of climbing one of Lisbon's steepest hills and connecting Praça do Martim Moniz and Rua Marquês de Ponte de Lima. The escalator is free to ride and at least today, was in perfect working order. The rest of the climb to either Miradouro da Graça or Castelo de São Jorge, you're on your own though it looks like another escalator is being constructed to Jardim da Graça. This isn't the easiest way to the castle - for that you probably want the 737 bus or the 28E tram. [Review 19061 overall - 254 in Portugal - 30 of 2023.]