5 places to understand the history of Lisbon in Lisbon

Downtown Lisbon (Baixa) was completely rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake. The then prime minister, the Marquis of Pombal, redesigned the city to prepare it for the future, with wider avenues, some of which were consigned to pedestrian traffic only.

This themed museum opened a few years ago in the east wing of Terreiro do Paço. The multimedia and multisensory experience tells the story of the city and of its most significant events and personalities. There is a gift shop selling Lisbon merchandising.

This is where you’ll find the ruins of the Carmo Convent and it was also here that the 1974 peaceful Revolution of the Carnations started, when the military surrounded the police headquarters where the prime minister had taken refuge, before he was forced to resign.

The Lisbon Museum takes an original approach to museology by being a multi-branched museum with five venues: Palácio Pimenta, Teatro Romano, Santo António, Torreão Poente and Casa dos Bicos. All of these branches together tell the story of this surprising city’s past.

The Belém Palace, the official residence of the Portuguese president, ironically served as a royal residence at a certain point in time. The points of interest include the beautifully landscaped gardens and the Museum of the Presidency, that tells the story of the Portuguese republic through its presidents.