Lisboa downtown area (Praça do Comércio, Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha Church)

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Praça do Comércio (The Square of Commerce) also referred to as Terreiro do Paço (Palace Square) with its Triumph Arch is majestic no matter which way you look at it from, which is not surprising because it may still "breathe in" the Royal atmosphere it once was "his".

According to historical accounts in 1511 King Dom Manuel I is said to have transfered his residence from the Castle of Saint George to this area, close by the river Tagus, though his Palace, together with its 70.000 book Library were destroyed by the 1755 earthquake. 

The various arcaded buildings extending around three sides of the Square had their facades painted  in the Republican crimson colour soon after the 1910 Revolution, but were to be later repainted in the yellow Royal-like colour.

I had the priviledge of "witnessing" quite a few extraordinary Art exhibitions in this square, Botero's being the one I remember the best because of the numerous sculptures spread around as if trying to "compete" with the impressive equestrian statue representing King Dom José I, which still stands in the centre of the square and which was made by one of the most prominent Portuguese sculptors of the epoch - Machado de Castro ...


Not far from the  Square one comes across Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha (Old Church of Our Lady of the Conception), whose Manueline facade has always been amongst my favourite ones, because of the profusion of details, from the flowers to the angels, animals and even the image of the Virgin  Mary opening up her protective cloak so as to protect comtemporary characters such as King Dom Manuel I and his sister Queen Dona Leonor to whom we owe the foundation of several Charitable Institutions.

 

(To be continued)