What are facts about Lisbon?

Answer 1

1.With a 3,000-year history, Lisbon has its share of legends and myths. One of the more popular concerns the city's origins. According to folklore, Lisbon was originally founded by Ulysses, the mythic Greek King. More likely, however, the area was first settled by the Phoenicians, who called the city Alis Ubbo, which means "delightful shore." 2.Like much of Europe, Lisbon was once part of the vast Roman Empire. They arrived around 205 B.C., calling it Olisipo. Following the Roman occupation of some 200+ years, the area was occupied by various northern tribes - including the Visigoths - and later by the Moors. Finally, in 1147, a group of Christians under Dom Afonso Henriques took hold of the city. Roughly a century later, Afonso III made Lisbon the country's capital. 3.On November 1, 1755 (All Saints' Day), Lisbon was rocked by a devastating earthquake, the after shocks of which lasted six days. The Great Earthquake, as it came to be known, utterly decimated the city, bringing down buildings and causing huge tidal waves. Although estimates vary, some speculate that roughly 15- to 30-thousand people were crushed by collapsing debris and countless more were drowned beneath huge walls of water. 4.One of Lisbon's favorite attractions is the Torre de Belem (Belem Tower). Finished around 1520 by architect Francisco de Arruda, the Manueline Tower was built to safeguard the harbor. From the late sixteenth century until the nineteenth century, the tower served as a prison. Today, the tower serves as a monument to Portugal's Age of Discovery and gives visitors a spectacular view of the city. 5.Forget the hike, we'll take the elevator. One of Lisbon's more interesting - and convenient - sites is the Elevador de Santa Justa. Built in the early 1900's, this Gothic-style street elevator runs from Baixa way up to Bairro Alto, thus saving passengers a very steep climb. 6.The Moors have had a lasting influence on Lisbon culture. The impressive Castelo de Sao Jorge (St. George's's Castle) is testament to that influence. Although the site was once a Visigoth fortification, the Moors greatly enhanced the structure, erecting many of the protective walls during the ninth and tenth centuries. Despite serving as a royal residence for Christian kings until the sixteenth century, the Moorish influence remains prominent. 7.The flamboyant Mosterio de Jeronimos was built in honor of Vasco da Gama's famous discovery of a sea route to India. Work on the monastery began in the early fifteenth century but was not completed until the end of the century. In addition to being a fine example of Manueline-style architecture, the monastery is also a tomb, holding the remains of many prominent Portuguese figures, including Vasco da Gama. 8.The 1990's witnessed Lisbon's emergence as a major international city. In 1994, Lisbon was named European City of Culture. In 1998, the city hosted the massive Expo '98 - the last major world exposition of the millennium that also marked the 500th anniversary of the famous da Gama voyage.

9.Despite its rather small size compared to other European capitals, Lisbon has always done things on a grand scale. In fact, the city set a world record for assembling the largest dining table ever. They once served lunch to some 15,000 people over the Vasco da Gama Bridge! 10.In Lisbon, everything's black-and-white. Well...at least the pavement is. The alleged reason for this curiosity centers around Lisbon's patron Saint Vincent. It's said that the black represents the holy attire worn by the revered Saint, while the white represents the white outfits of the Christian Crusaders who vanquished the Moors.