Lisbon (/ˈlɪzbən/), Portuguese: Lisboa (liʒˈboɐ), is that the capital and also the largest city of Portugal, city, port, and therefore the center of the Lisbon metropolitan area. With patterned cobblestones, tile-clad, and brightly painted buildings and a top quality of sunshine that inspires poets and photographers, Lisbon is straightforward on the attention. Lisbon’s geographical area extends beyond the city’s administrative limits with a population of around 2.8 million people, being the 10th-most populous geographical region within the European Community. Located in western Portugal on the estuary of the Tagus (Tejo) River, it’s the westernmost capital city in continental Europe and is the country’s chief port, largest city, and commercial, political, and tourist center.
This dynamic city has everything from delicious eateries, amazing hostels and hotels, and stunning architecture, each with their own exciting style. It is mainland Europe’s westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast. The city’s name is a modification of the ancient Olisipo (Ulyssipo), and its founding has been attributed to the legacy of Ulysses (Odysseus), the hero of Homer’s Odyssey; to Elisha, purported to have been a grandson of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham; and, more credibly, to Phoenician colonists. Lisbon owes its historical prominence to its natural harbor, one of the most beautiful in the world.
The Great Earthquake of 1755 (followed by a moving ridge and fire) destroyed most of the city’s larger buildings. Twenty years of frantic reconstruction led to several impressive new palaces and churches moreover because of the street grid pattern spanning the seven hills of Lisbon. Several buildings from Portugal’s golden age survived the earthquake; notably the Torre de Belém, the Castelo de São Jorge and also the Monastery of Jerónimos at Belém.
The city is that the 9th-most-visited city in Southern Europe, after Rome, Istanbul, Barcelona, Milan, Venice, Madrid, Florence, and Athens, with 3,320,300 tourists in 2017. Lisbon’s port maintains an intimacy with its city that was common within the days before steam. A thriving nightlife scene has reclaimed the previous red-light district of Cais do Sodré, now called Pink Street, and continues to dominate Bairro Alto after dark. The Lisbon region includes a higher GDP PPP per capita than the other region in Portugal. Its GDP amounts to US$96.3 billion and thus $32,434 per capita. The town occupies the 40th place of highest gross earnings within the world.
Lisbon is one in all the oldest cities within the world, and therefore the second-oldest European capital city (after Athens), predating other modern European capitals by centuries. Ancient neighborhoods with laundry flapping from upper story windows, sardines grilling within the streets, and also the haunting strains of traditional fado music are balanced by slick contemporary architecture and superb urban art. Many of the city’s more modern sites also demand attention: the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, a museum and cultural complex with superb collections of ancient and modern art and also the futuristic Oceanarium at the Parque das Nações, the most important of its kind in Europe.
The city (Lisbon) lies on the north bank of the Tagus River estuary, about 8 miles (13 km) from the river’s entrance into the Atlantic Ocean. It is located at 38°42′49.75″N 9°8′21.79″W, situated at the mouth of the Tagus River and is the westernmost capital of a mainland European country. The city occupies an area of 100.05 km2 (39 sq mi). Lisbon has a mild and equable climate, with a mean annual temperature in the low 60s F (about 17 °C). The average annual temperature is 17.4 °C (63.3 °F), 21.3 °C (70.3 °F) during the day and 13.5 °C (56.3 °F) at night. The average monthly rainfall ranges from 0.1 inches (3 mm) in summer up to about 4 inches (100 mm) in winter.
The city of Lisbon is rich in architecture; Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Baroque, Modern, and Postmodern constructions is found everywhere Lisbon. The Belém area reflects Portugal’s maritime past and is understood for its Manueline (early 16th-century) architecture, notably the Jerónimos Monastery, founded by Manuel I in 1499, and therefore the Tower of Belém (1515–21; designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983), which was built to defend the town. Lisbon is home to numerous prominent museums and art collections, from all around the world. Lisbon is additionally home to the Lisbon Architecture Triennial, the Moda Lisboa (Fashion Lisbon), ExperimentaDesign – Biennial of Design, and LuzBoa – Biennial of Light.
Some of the standard markets are given a makeover and additionally to selling fresh produce, bustling food halls tempt locals and visitors with Portuguese and international delicacies. Lisbon’s municipal orchestra was founded in 1971. The town is additionally the positioning of the National Conservatory, which offers advanced instruction in both music and drama. World-class museums and art galleries, like the Berardo Museum the Gulbenkian, and therefore the National Museum of Ancient Art, contain treasures from around the globe. There also are botanical gardens and a zoo within the town.
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