Lisbon, Portugal; Stronger Than Ever

The largest city in Portugal is also its capital, Lisbon, or Lisboa in Portuguese. Lisbon is the westernmost capital in all of Europe, sitting where the Targus River meets the Atlantic Ocean. The municipal area of Lisbon, Portugal is about 33 square miles, with a population of just under 565,000. However, if the outlying metropolitan areas are considered, Lisbon boasts of around 2.8 million residents.

Lisbon is the economic and political center of Portugal, producing 45% of the country's gross domestic product and hosting Portugal's Head of State and government seat. Lisbon regularly hosts political summits including NATO and the European Union summits. Lisbon's economy is not dependent upon the bustling seaports or high volume of industry. Lisbon, Portugal is also a great place to spend money at the grand shopping malls or the on the exciting surrounding nightlife.

Much of Lisbon, Portugal and its surrounding areas was destroyed by the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755, one of the most devastating earthquakes ever recorded. At about 9:40 a.m. on November 1st, the area was hit by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake that all but leveled the entire city. As if that wasn't enough, the earthquake was followed by a tsunami and fire that finished the town off. Overall it is estimated that between 60,000 and 100,000 people perished as a result. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake was the premise for the invention of modern seismology.

The King of Portugal, King Joseph I, and his family, as well as the Prime Minister, Sabastiao de Malo, the Marquis of Pombal, all survived the earthquake. When asked what to do, Pombal answered "Bury the dead and feed the living." This began the relief and subsequent reconstruction efforts that built today's Lisbon, Portugal.

After the year long effort to clean up the city, the King and Prime Minister set out to rebuild the city into grand squares with wide streets. These squares are one of the most visited tourist attractions in Portugal today. The need for wider streets was not well understood by everyone in the 18th century, but Pombal had the foresight to order them built that way because, as he stated, "One day they will be small."

The first buildings in the world constructed to be seismically protected were built in Lisbon, Portugal after the great earthquake. This type of construction was tested by building miniature wooden buildings and allowing the army to march around them to simulate an earthquake. They are now called Pombal buildings and they make up Lisbon's modern Pombaline Downtown.

If all that isn't enough to get you to Lisbon, Portugal, maybe you will be drawn by the world famous Lisbon Half Marathon, hosted annually in March, or possibly you will be able to catch the renowned Rock in Rio concert, which has been held in Lisbon on three occasions to date. No matter what you are looking for, history, business, sports, or just plain fun Lisbon, Portugal has it.

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