Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon

Avenue da Liberdade

Avenida da Liberdade is Lisbon’s avenue known for its luxury, initially designed by Marques de Pombal as a wide avenue, 90 meters wide and just over a kilometer long, with paved pedestrian areas in Portuguese sidewalk, with a landscaping composed of gardens with large trees, lakes and water fountains, terraces, statues, monuments, commercial area along the entire avenue, consisting of luxury brand stores, luxury hotels, restaurants luxury, offices with the largest national and international companies, and theatre. Avenida da Liberdade begins at Praça dos Restauradores and ends at Rotunda do Marquês de Pombal. Avenida da Liberdade is one of the busiest and most cosmopolitan areas of the city, a common place to visit. Avenida da Liberdade is an important business center in Portugal. Avenida da Liberdade is a place to be visited by those who love architecture due to the variety of existing architectural styles, including Art Nouveau buildings. It is a place highly regarded by visitors due to its safe and tranquil environment.
Avenida da Liberdade is the Lisbon area with the most expensive average property price per square meter due to its super prime location in the city center and the ability to return on investment.

Avenida da Liberdade administrative organization

Avenida da Liberdade is approximately 1300 meters long, starts at Praça dos Restauradores and ends at Rotunda do Marquês de Pombal.
Avenida da Liberdade is part of the Junta de Santo António created in the political reform of the parishes in 2012 and includes the former parishes of São José, Coração de Jesus and São Mamede.

The main attractions to visit on Avenida da Liberdade (top 10)

In addition to the luxury environment that exists throughout Avenida da Liberdade with its shops, hotels and services, Av. da Liberdade has places that are worth visiting.

1. Parque Eduardo VII is the largest green park in Lisbon and one of the most popular viewpoints in the city, located north of the Marquês de Pombal roundabout. Parque Eduardo VII is one of the most frequented viewpoints by tourists due to the view over the park’s garden with the downtown in the background, the Monument dedicated to the Marquis of Pombal, the buildings in the city center, the Castle of São Jorge , the Baixa, Praça do Comércio, the Tagus River and the Serra da Arrábida. Parque Eduardo VII was inaugurated at the end of the 19th century with the designation of Parque da Liberdade, by Henri Lusseau, inspired by urban parks such as Regent’s Park in London or Central Park in New York. Parque Eduardo VII changed its name in 1903 after King Edward VII of England visited Lisbon to celebrate the five hundred years of the alliance between Portugal and England. This urban park was maintained and improved until it reached its current state through the intervention of architect Francisco Keil, presenting the following points of interest:

• Carlos Lopes Pavilion;

• Cold Greenhouse;
• King’s Bar;
• Club Sports Club VII;
• Amália Rodrigues Garden;
• Monument on April 25, 1974;
• Eleven Restaurant;
• Café Linha d’Água.

2. Ascensor da Glória is the most used traditional lift in Lisbon, with approximately three million passengers per year, connecting Avenida da Liberdade and Rua de São Pedro de Alcântara in Bairro Alto. The Glória funicular was inaugurated in 1885 with a project by Mesnier du Ponsard, covering an approximate distance of two hundred meters. The main attractions of the Ascensor da Glória are:

• Proximity to Praça dos Restauradores, Avenida da Liberdade and Bairro Alto;
• Possibility to observe the houses and the movement of tourists along the route.

3. Cinema São Jorge – Cinema São Jorge is one of the most emblematic cinemas in the city of Lisbon, located on Avenida da Liberdade. The cinema was inaugurated in 1950 with a project by Fernando Silva, with the following attractions:

• Film Festivals – with emphasis on DocLisboa or the French Film Festival;
• Manoel de Oliveira Room with more than 800 seats;
• Cafeteria

4. Casa do Alentejo is the headquarters of the Associação Regionalista Alentejana, located at Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, and was created with the aim of promoting and preserving Alentejo culture. The main points of interest of Casa do Alentejo are:

• Library
• Alentejan gastronomy restaurants;
• Andalusian central patio: a patio inspired by the Moroccan patios, where you can see small palm trees, Neo-Arabic archways, Moorish-inspired tiles and a fountain in the center

5. Ascensor do Lavra is the oldest elevator in Lisbon, connecting Largo da Anunciada and Rua Câmara Pestana, located in Calçada do Lavra. The Ascensor do Lavra was inaugurated in 1884 and owes its name to the proximity of the Palácio do Lavra. The main attractions of Ascensor do Lavra are:

• Observation of the houses on Calçada do Lavra;
• View over part of the city of Lisbon;
• View from the Lavra Palace tower;
• Nearby Garden of Torel.

6. Cinemateca Portuguesa: is “the national body under the Ministry of Culture whose mission is to safeguard and publicize cinematographic heritage”, located at Rua Barata Salgueiro. The Cinemateca Portuguesa was inaugurated in 1948 and presents the following points of interest:

• More than 70,000 film-related material elements;
• More than 21 thousand works of Portuguese cinematographic production;
• Junior Cinemateca;
• Pre-Cinema Interactive Exhibition;
• Digital Cinema.

7. Medeiros de Almeida House-Museum: is a space where you can visit one of the largest private collections of European and Asian decorative arts until the 19th century, located at Rua Rosa Araújo. The Medeiros de Almeida House-Museum was built by the entrepreneur António de Medeiros e Almeida (1895-1986) as a private residence, having been founded in 1974. The main points of interest are:

• Napoleon Bonaparte’s Portuguese tea service;
• Clock collection;
• Pictures by Veloso Salgado representing “School of Islamic Medicine of Córdoba”;
• Pocket watch worn by Wellington and Junot;
• Portuguese silver toothpick holders from the 18th century;
• Paintings by 17th century Flemish painters Brueghel;
• Portrait of Rembrandt from the 16th century;
• Chapel;
• Library.

8. Jardim do Torel: is a little known garden in Lisbon, located on Rua Júlio de Andrade. The garden is thus designated to honor judge Cunha Thorel, who ceded the land in 1928 to the Lisbon City Council. The garden is relatively little known by locals and tourists, but it has several points of interest, namely:

• Viewpoint that allows you to see Avenida da Liberdade and the hill of São Roque;
• Kiosk with terrace;
• Artificial lake that during the summer is transformed into a swimming pool.

9. Lisbon Geography Society: is an institution that aims to disseminate the scientific study of Geography, Ethnology and History of the Portuguese presence in Africa and Asia, located at Rua das Portas and Santo Antão. The Sociedade de Geografia was inaugurated in 1875, having been installed in the current building in 1897 by important personalities of the Portuguese society, namely Luciano Cordeiro (1844-1900), Teófilo Braga (1843-1924). The Geography Society is visited by people from Lisbon, tourists and school students to see the 60,000 works, 6,000 manuscripts and 230,000 available titles. The attractions of the Lisbon Geography Society are:

• Entrance: Painting by Veloso Salgado representing the arrival of Vasco da Gama in India;
• Ethnographic and Historical Museum: this museum, located in the Sala Portugal, has approximately 30 thousand pieces, namely a “double dagger of India” from the early 20th century, the “Urn of Dom Afonso de Albuquerque Velha Goa” from the 16th century, an oil-painted portrait representing Vasco da Gama and a 17th century Indian Accountant;
• Sala Algarve: a space where conferences, meetings and statues representing Vasco da Gama, Infante Dom Henrique and Luís Vaz de Camões are held;
• Patterns Room: here you can see the original Portuguese patterns used by browsers to mark when they arrived at an unknown location;
• Library: here it is possible to consult the more than 60 thousand works available, namely the manuscript of the “Purchase Agreement in favor of Vasco da Gama of the towns of Vidigueira and Frades” from 1519 or the “Book of Calculations” by Serpa Pinto from 1878;
• Mapoteca: space where some of the most important maps and globes in the History of Portugal can be found, namely the “Globos Coronelli” by Vincenzo Coronelli (1650-1718), the “Carta Portulano do Atlas by Giovanni Battista Agnese” of 1536/39 or the “Map of the Geodesic Mission of São Tomé and Príncipe” of 1916, ;
• Fonoteca: here there are approximately 20 thousand pieces in the most varied media, namely photographs of Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe and Angola from the beginning of the 20th century

10. Ginjinha Sem Rival Store is a store that sells ginja and is part of the network of historic stores in Lisbon, located in Rua das Portas de Santo Antão. The store has been selling sour cherries since it opened in 1840, with practically the same appearance: a small marble counter with a wooden top and a U-shaped cabinet where you can see the various bottles of cherries from “Ginja Sem Rival”.

Other attractions to explore on Avenida da Liberdade

National Sports Library and Museum is a museum space where you can learn about the history of Portugal’s participation in the Olympic Games, located in Praça dos Restauradores. The museum was inaugurated at Palácio Foz in 2012 to commemorate 100 years of Portugal’s participation in the Olympic Games. The main points of interest of the National Sports Library and Museum are:

• Olympic Heritage Space, where you can see posters, medals and equipment related to the Olympic Games; ;
• National Sports Library with over 60,000 publications;
• António Rodrigues used sneakers at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics;
• Equipment Rosa Mota wore in the marathon she won at the 1988 Seoul Olympics;
• Cycist Joaquim Agostinho’s shirt;
• 1965 Golden Ball won by Eusebio.

Teatro Tivoli BBVA is one of the most important cultural spaces in the city of Lisbon where you can watch plays, ballets, concerts and humor festivals, located on Avenida da Liberdade. The theater plays are almost permanently sold out, being frequented by Lisboners and tourists of all social classes and ages. The space was inaugurated in 1924 at the wish of Frederico Lima Mayer and commissioned by the architect Raul Lino. The main attractions of the Teatro Tivoli BBVA are:

• Performance of ballets, namely “O Lago dos Cisnes” and “The Sleeping Beauty”;
• Concerts by Portuguese artists such as Teresa Salgueiro or David Fonseca;
• Conducting festivals, especially the Super Bock Festival in Stock or the Fashion Tv Awards.

Coliseu dos Recreios is one of the most frequented and known concert halls in Lisbon, located in Rua das Portas de Santo Antão. The Coliseu dos Recreios was inaugurated in 1890 with the objective of being a theater for the lower classes of society, but with quality pieces. This cultural space is currently much frequented by the Lisbon society due to the performance of high quality plays and concerts, namely “Mário Laginha e Camané”, “Christmas Circus”, “O Lago dos Cisnes” or “O Quebra Nozes”

Avenida da Liberdade kiosks are places where you can taste Portuguese cuisine, located along Avenida da Liberdade. The green-painted kiosks are a total of seven, namely:

• “Banana Café”: composed of two kiosks located on the Avenue where you can drink natural juices or cocktails and eat toast and salads.;
• “Hot Dog Lovers”: kiosk where you can try traditional and vegetarian hot dogs;
• “Ribadouro”: The kiosk “Ribadouro” belongs to the seafood restaurant “Ribadouro” located on Avenida da Liberdade;
• “Charcutaria Lisboa”: This kiosk specializes in cheeses and sausages;
• “Best Chocolate Cake in the World”: this kiosk has as its main offer the Chocolate Cake ranked as the best in the world in 2011.

Great War Combatants Monument: it is a monument with the objective of honoring the “Soldier of the First World War” who participated in the First World War, designed by the sculptor Maximiano Alves and the architect Guilherme Rebelo de Andrade . The Great War Combatants Monument is composed of a central figure of the “Soldier” representing “The Fatherland” inaugurated in 1931 on Avenida da Freedom; and two male figures that symbolize the weight of the 5,000 soldiers who died in World War I (1914-1918).

Estatuária da Avenida da Liberdade is a set of statuary that pays tribute to seven personalities of Portuguese culture and politics:

• Statue of Almeida Garrett on Avenida da Liberdade, sculpture by BARATA FEYO

• Statue of Oliveira Martin, by Leopoldo de Almeida

• Sculpture by Rui Chafes
• Bust of Fryderyk Chopin by Bolesław Syrewicz
• Statue of Simón Bolívar, by Arturo Rus Aguilero

• Allegory Monument to the Tagus River, authored by Alexandre Gomes
• Monument to Pinheiro Chagas, by Costa Motta-tio
• Tivoli Hotel
• Casa-Museu Medeiros e Ferreira
• Parque Mayer
• Church of the Pen
• Igreja de São Luís dos Franceses
• Lisbon Botanical Garden
• Hotel Clube Portugal
• Lisbon Geography Society
• Terrace Hotel Altis Avenida
• Terrace I’m in Eden
• Level Eight Terrace
• Lemon Terrace
• Sky Bar Terrace

Main streets and squares

Marquês de Pombal Roundabout

Praça Marquês de Pombal is the largest roundabout in the city of Lisbon, located between Avenida da Liberdade and Parque Eduardo Sétimo. In this square you can see the typical city and cosmopolitan bustle of Lisbon, being a central area of ​​the city of Lisbon that distributes traffic to the main road arteries of the city, it is mainly a place of passage for Lisboners, tourists, tuck tucks and cars . The roundabout has been named since 1882 to honor the Prime Minister Marquês de Pombal, considered largely responsible for rebuilding the Baixa after the earthquake of November 1, 1755. The square’s current appearance began to take shape in 1934 with the inauguration Monument in Homage to the Marquis of Pombal by the sculptors Francisco Santos, Simões de Almeida and Leopoldo de Almeida and the architects Adães Bermudes and António Couto. The Marquês de Pombal Square was the stage for important events in the Modern History of Portugal, namely:

• Political events – Implantation of the Republic in 1910, the Coup d’état of 1926 and the Revolution of April 25, 1974;
• Official ceremonies – holding ceremonies to celebrate the Restoration of Independence of 1640, the Carnation Revolution, the 5th of October 1910, the Popular Festivals of Santo António
• Manifestations of social and professional classes Demonstrations of teachers, police and the general population;

The Marquês de Pombal Square has numerous attractions, namely:

• Monument in Homage to the Marquis of Pombal, a monument was inaugurated on May 13, 1934 with forty meters high, designed by the architects Adães Bermudes and António do Couto, and the sculptors Francisco dos Santos, Simões de Almeida (nephew) and Leopoldo de Almeida. The main highlights are:
  • Statue of the Marquis of Pombal with a lion, symbol of strength and power;

• • Medals with portraits representing various Portuguese figures, namely the sculptor Joaquim Machado de Castro (1731-1832), the writer Luís António Verney (1713-1792), the German General Conde de Lippe (1724-1777), the Minister José de Seabra da Silva (1732-1813), physicist António Nunes Ribeiro Sanches (1699-1783), architect Eugénio dos Santos (1711-1760), diplomat Dom Luís da Cunha (1662-1749) and engineer Manuel da Maia (1677-1768)
  • Inscription of the major reforms carried out by the Marquês de Pombal on the base of the pedestal, namely “Creation and Protection of many industries”, “Modernization and Agricultural Promotion”, “Rebuilding of Lisbon”, “Foundation of the First School of Commerce”, “ Higher Education Reform: Colégio dos Nobres and University of Coimbra”, “Expulsion of the Jesuits”, “Abolition of Slavery in Portugal”, “Reorganization of the Army and Navy”;
  • Statues representing Lisbon in the center of the monument;
  • Statues representing “Agriculture” on the right side, “Education” through the sculpture of the Goddess Minerva in the center and on the left side representing Commerce.

• Park Edward VII
• Avenue da Liberdade
• Hotel Fénix Lisboa

Avenida da Liberdade: it is the main means of communication in the city of Lisbon, located between Praça dos Restauradores and Rotunda do Marquês de Pombal. Avenida da Liberdade is one of the largest avenues in the country, approximately 1.5 km long and 90 meters wide, making it a privileged place in the city for luxury shopping, culture, meetings and passage. Avenida da Liberdade was inaugurated in 1886 with the aim of providing the Portuguese capital with a place similar to the “Ramblas” in Barcelona and the “Campos Elísios” in Paris. Avenida da Liberdade is a cosmopolitan, safe and economic center of the city, with the following points of interest:

• The luxury fashion stores;
• Monuments and statues;
• Kiosks with terraces;
• Important institutions for the city, namely the Teatro Tivoli, the Hard Rock Café, the headquarters of the Diário de Notícias and the Cinema São Jorge.

Praça dos Restauradores: it is one of the most important squares and passageways in the city of Lisbon, with connection between Praça Dom Pedro IV (Rossio) and Avenida da Liberdade. Praça dos Restauradores is a very busy central area of Lisbon, where tourists, tuck tucks, cars and public transport pass through. The main attractions are:

• Restorators Monument inaugurated in 1886 with a project by Tomás da Fonseca to honor the 1640 War of Restoration of Independence, with emphasis on the Obelisk with approximately 33 meters high which symbolizes the worship of the Sun; the bronze statue representing the “Genius of Independence” by Alberto Nunes that symbolizes the liberation of Portugal from Spain; the bronze statue representing “A Vitória” by Simões de Almeida; the Inscription on the pedestal of the dates and names of the most important battles of the War of Restoration;
• Statue in Homage to the Calceteiro de Lisboa by Sérgio Stichni, with emphasis on the representation of the Barca de São Vicente in Portuguese pavement;
• Hard Rock Café: a dining space integrated in the building of the former Condes cinema, where you can enjoy American food. The Hard Rock Café was inaugurated in 2003, having been one of the first brands in the United States of America to establish itself in Portugal. At the Hard Rock Café on Avenida da Liberdade, the tables are surrounded by more than 73,000 pieces related to the history of music, namely guitars autographed by renowned guitarists, pieces of clothing used in concerts by the great artists, and many more accessories from famous personalities.
• Hotel Avenida Palace is a luxury hotel integrated in a 19th century palace. Avenida Palace opened in 1892, standing out for its 82 luxury rooms available.
• Palácio Foz is the space where several institutions are found, namely the Sports Museum and the National Music Museum. Palácio Foz was inaugurated in the 18th century, with emphasis on the Abadia; the Garden; the Junior Cinemateca; and the Library.

Rua das Portas de Santo Antão is one of the busiest pedestrian zones in the city, with the connection between Largo de São Domingos and Rua de São José. tourists and locals due to the terraces, historic buildings, restaurants and theaters. The Rua das Portas de Santo Antão is one of the oldest in the city of Lisbon, having been one of the main entrances to Lisbon between the 14th and the 18th century. On Rua das Portas de Santo Antão we can explore the following attractions:

• Lisbon Geography Society;
• Lavra Elevator;
• Casa do Alentejo;
• Trunk Courtyard;
• Lisbon Commercial Athenaeum;
• Coliseu dos Recreios;
• Politeama Theatre;
• Loja Ginjinha Sem Rival;
• Dairy Advertised;
• Gambrinus Restaurant;
• Restaurant Solar dos Presuntos.

Fairs, Parties and Pilgrimages on Avenida da Liberdade

• Fair on Avenida: held monthly on the second weekend
• Popular Marches of Lisbon: held annually on the night of June 12th to 13th

Places to shop on Avenida da Liberdade

• André Opticas
• Burberry

• Carolina Herrera
• Cartier

• Comcor
• COS: Collection of Style
• David Roses

• Dolce & Gabana
• Emporio Armani
• Ermenegildo Zegna
• Fashion Clinic
• Fátima Lopes
• Fly London
• Foreva
• Gant
• Gucci

• Gilles Fine Jewellry
• Hugo Boss
• I Pinco Pallino
• Juliana Herc
• Lanidor
• Leya Bookstore in Bucholz
• Loja das Socks
• Loewe

• LongChamp
• Louis Vuitton
• Luís Onofre
• Jeweler Axe
• Maria João Bahia
• Maxmara
• Michael Korks
• Miu Miu
• Montblanc
• Panerai
• Prada
• Rosa and Teixeira
• Stivali
• Tivoli Forum
• All
• Tony Miranda
• Jewel Towers
• Wicket Jones
• Zadig & Voltaire

Tourist developments on Avenida da Liberdade

• Altis Avenida Hotel
• Fontecruz Lisbon Autograph Collection
• Hotel Avenida Palace
• Porto Bay Liberdade
• Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade
• Tivoli Avenida da Liberdade
• Torel Palace
• Valverde Hotel
• Avani Avenida Liberdade
• BessaHotel Liberdade
• Heritage Avenue
• Hotel Fénix Lisboa
• Hotel Florida
• Hotel Lisboa Plaza
• Marquês de Pombal Hotel
• Inspires Santa Marta
• NH Collection Lisbon Liberdade
• Turim Avenida Liberdade Hotel
• Vincci Freedom

Transport and access to Avenida da Liberdade

Avenida da Liberdade has the following transport available:

• Lisbon Metropolitano: along the Avenue there are three stations:
  • Restoration Station (Blue Line);
  • Avenue Station (Blue Line);
  • Marquês de Pombal Station (Blue Line and Yellow Line).
• Train: you can travel by train from the Rossio station, located next to Praça dos Restauradores. From Rossio Station it is possible to travel within the city of Lisbon or to places outside the Portuguese capital, such as Sintra for example. The Rossio Station building deserves a detailed visit due to its architectural style, the presence of a store belonging to the American coffee chain Starbucks and the tourist development Lisbon Destination Hostel
• Car Parks: on Avenida da Liberdade there are three car parks:
  • Restorers Square;
  • Praça da Figueira;
  • Park on Avenida Alexandre Herculano (next to Avenida da Liberdade).

History of Avenida da Liberdade

Avenida da Liberdade was the first public garden in Lisbon, created after the earthquake of 1 November 1755. In 1764 it was a closed garden surrounded by a wall, exclusively for the Portuguese aristocracy. Marquês de Pombal placed the architect Reinaldo Manuel in charge of this project, in 1821 the wall was destroyed and the garden was opened to the entire population. Avenida da Liberdade began to take its current shape. The aim of this new Avenida da Liberdade project was to provide the Portuguese capital with a grand avenue similar to the Champs Elysees in Paris. Avenida da Liberdade began to take its current shape between 1879 and 1882. Avenida da Liberdade is the place with the most expensive real estate square meter in Lisbon, and where various events take place, including the parade of the Marchas Populares de Lisboa, the point high of the Festas da Cidade on the night of June 12th.

Santo António Parish location (Avenida da Liberdade) on the Lisbon map