In the middle of Praça do Comércio stands the equestrian statue of King José I, one of Lisbon’s most recognisable monuments.
But there is much more behind this statue than a king on a horse.
1. The statue is connected to the reconstruction of Lisbon
King José I was on the throne when the 1755 earthquake destroyed much of Lisbon.
The city was rebuilt under the direction of the Marquis of Pombal, and the new Praça do Comércio became one of the symbols of the rebuilt city.
The statue of José I was placed at its centre.
2. The king survived the earthquake
José I and the royal family were at their country residence in Belém when the earthquake struck on 1 November 1755.
The Royal Palace in what is now Praça do Comércio was destroyed, but the king survived.
3. The earthquake changed where the king wanted to live
After the disaster, José I became afraid of living in traditional stone buildings.
He chose the relatively less affected area of Ajuda and had a wooden royal residence known as the Real Barraca built there.
He continued living there for the rest of his life.
4. The statue was inaugurated 20 years after the earthquake
The monument was inaugurated on 6 June 1775, the king’s birthday.
It was designed by Joaquim Machado de Castro and cast in bronze by Bartolomeu da Costa.
It was also the first public sculpture in Lisbon.
5. Look at the pedestal
On the side facing the river, you can see a medallion of the Marquis of Pombal, the man who directed the reconstruction of Lisbon after the earthquake.
But the medallion was not always there.
After José I died in 1777, it was removed and replaced. The original medallion was only returned to the monument in 1833.
Next time you visit Praça do Comércio, look beyond the king. The pedestal tells another part of Lisbon’s story.
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