Chiado, Lisboa

Chiado

Chiado is a traditional historic neighbourhood of intellectual and cultural character, with a distinguished reputation, located in the heart of Lisbon. Chiado is a blend of cosmopolitanism, tradition, history, commerce, luxury and glamour. The heart of the city encompasses important commercial streets lined with historic buildings, including Rua Garrett, Largo do Chiado, Largo do Carmo, Rua do Carmo, Rua Nova do Almada and Rua Serpa Pinto. Chiado was developed from the 19th century onwards to reflect the luxury and glamour of Paris — particularly the Montmartre district, regarded as the neighbourhood of painters in the French capital, and the Champs-Élysées. Chiado was the cultural and intellectual centre of the city and the heart of Romantic and bourgeois Lisbon in the 19th and early 20th centuries. During this period it was common to see ladies in glamorous dresses and gentlemen in top hats strolling through Chiado and taking coffee at Benard or A Brazileira. Since then, Chiado has become known as Lisbon’s centre of luxury, glamour, intellectualism and art, owing to the presence of numerous libraries, academies, theatres, cafés, clubs and second-hand bookshops. The development and growth of Chiado was marked by two disasters: the earthquake of 1 November 1755 and the fire of 25 August 1988, both of which led to the reconstruction and restoration of much of the neighbourhood.

The Bairro do Chiado is a place where harmony between the new and the old, tradition and cosmopolitanism, prevails. Chiado is the soul of Lisbon — a place where you can live, socialise and do business in safety. It is a meeting point for people of many nationalities, cultures and ages. Chiado is widely visited for its architectural styles, particularly in 18th- and 19th-century buildings. Chiado has always been a privileged gathering point for national and international intellectuals and artists.

In Chiado it is possible to feel the past and see statues of writers such as Fernando Pessoa and Eça de Queirós seated outside the café A Brasileira on Rua Garrett. Chiado is home to Bertrand, the oldest bookshop in the world, founded in 1773; the Restaurante Tavares, the oldest restaurant in Portugal; one of the first lifts on the European continent, located in the current Benetton shop on Rua Garrett; and the characteristic Portuguese cobblestone pavement.

The Bairro do Chiado is a vibrant area, full of life day and night, where visitors can enjoy themselves, do business and experience the celebrated Portuguese cuisine. Chiado is also a place where you can live safely and harmoniously, in constant contact with both the old and the new.

Top 10 Attractions in Chiado

1. Livraria Bertrand: The Livraria Bertrand in Chiado is the oldest operating bookshop in the world, located on Rua Garrett and certified since 2011 by the Guinness World Records. The bookshop was founded by Pedro Faure in 1732 and acquired by the Bertrand brothers in 1750. It was regularly frequented by notable figures including Bocage, Eça de Queiroz, Alexandre Herculano, Oliveira Martins, Antero de Quental and Fernando Pessoa. The Livraria Bertrand comprises 7 rooms, each decorated with themes referencing celebrated Portuguese writers.
2. Igreja de São Roque: The Igreja de São Roque is one of the few churches to have survived the 1755 earthquake and remains a living cultural and religious space, hosting numerous activities including masses, classical music concerts, fado concerts, chamber music concerts and school visits from across Portugal. The church was built in 1565 to serve as the headquarters of the Society of Jesus in Portugal, in the style of a church-auditorium. This Catholic church was a privileged venue for sermons by important figures, notably Father António Vieira (1606–1697), a 17th-century Portuguese missionary and diplomat. The Igreja de São Roque served as the headquarters of the Society of Jesus until the order’s expulsion from Portugal in 1759, after which it was handed over in 1768 to the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa. The main points of interest of the Igreja de São Roque are:
3. Capela de São João Batista: The Capela de São João Batista is the most expensive chapel in Portugal, commissioned by King Dom João V (1689–1750) partly to counter rumours of financial insolvency within the Portuguese Royal House. The chapel was dedicated to São João Batista because Saint John the Baptist was the patron saint of Dom João V. The project was entrusted to architects Vanvitelli and Nicola Salvi — designer of the Trevi Fountain in Rome — and supervised by the goldsmith and royal architect João Frederico Ludovice between 1744 and 1747. The Capela de São João Batista was inaugurated in 1752, two years after the death of Dom João V. The main points of interest are:
   • Representations of the Baptism of Christ by Saint John the Baptist, the Annunciation and Pentecost, produced in precious stones by Mattia Moretti and Agostino Masucci
   • 24 types of marble decorating the chapel
   • Goldsmith collection including pieces such as the Monstrance of São João Batista by Tomasio Politi, the Altar Frontal by António Arrighi, Bernardino Ludovisi and Agostino Corsini, and the Monumental Candlestick by Giuseppe Gagliardi, Leandro Gagliardi and Giovanni Battista Maini
4. Ceiling: The church ceiling was built in Prussian timber during the reign of Philip II of Portugal (1581–1598) and is the work of Francisco Venegas. It is the only ceiling remaining in Lisbon from the Mannerist period (16th and 17th centuries). The paintings on the lateral ceiling bands depict the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, by Amaro do Vale.
5. Chapel-Mor: funded by three priests of the Society of Jesus and built between 1625 and 1628. The high altar includes sculptures representing Saint Ignatius of Loyola — founder of the Society of Jesus — Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Saint Francis Borgia and Our Lady with the Christ Child. The altarpiece canvases are rotated according to the liturgical calendar, for the following feast days:
   • Annunciation by Bento Coelho da Silveira;
   • Adoration of the Shepherds, artist unknown;
   • Circumcision, artist unknown;
   • Calvary by Bento Coelho da Silveira;
   • Resurrection, artist unknown;
   • Pentecost, artist unknown;
   • Assumption, artist unknown.
6. Sacristy: notable for three series of paintings, specifically:
   • First series depicting episodes from the life of Saint Francis Xavier by André Reinoso
   • Second series with paintings depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ by André Gonçalves
   • Third series by Domingos da Cunha depicting episodes from the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus
7. Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea do Chiado: The Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea do Chiado is a contemporary art museum housing national and international works of art. The museum was inaugurated in 1911, closed in 1990 and reopened in 1994 on Rua Serpa Pinto in the building of the former Convento de São Francisco. The museum space was redesigned by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte and includes collections by Portuguese and international artists from 1850 to the present day, including Cândido Portinari, Auguste Rodin, Almada Negreiros, Mário Cesariny, Miguel Ângelo Lupi and Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro.
8. Cervejaria da Trindade: The Cervejaria da Trindade is the oldest brewery-restaurant in Portugal, located in the building of the former Mosteiro da Trindade on Rua Nova da Trindade. It occupies the former Convento da Trindade, built in 1294, and features the following highlights:
9. Azulejo panels with Masonic inspiration by painter “O Ferreira das Tabuletas”, artistic director of the Fábrica de Cerâmica Viúva Lamego;
10. Portuguese cobblestone panels by Maria Keil from the 1940s;
11. Portuguese cuisine, particularly the Bife à Trindade, the Bacalhau à Santo Ofício and seafood.
    1. Basílica dos Mártires: The Basílica dos Mártires is an 18th-century church — the only church in Lisbon to hold the title of Basilica — located on Rua Garrett. The parish of Nossa Senhora dos Mártires was established in 1147, the year of the Conquest of Lisbon from the Moors, and the first chapel was built on the site of the encampment of the English army that assisted in the taking of the city. The Basílica dos Mártires was inaugurated in 1784 in Baroque and Neoclassical style, to a design by architect Reinaldo Moreira dos Santos (1731–1791). The highlights of the Basílica dos Mártires are as follows:
12. Painting of Saint Vincent Martyr;
13. Painting of Friar Bartolomeu dos Mártires;
14. Baptismal font where São Bartolomeu dos Mártires (1514–1590) and Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935) were baptised;
15. Image of Nossa Senhora dos Mártires;
16. Ceiling: The basilica ceiling painting depicts Dom Afonso Henriques, the knight Guilherme Longa and Our Lady, by Pedro Alexandrino;
17. Medallions representing the “Four Evangelists” — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John — and the “Four Doctors of the Church” — Saint Ambrose, Saint Augustine, Saint Jerome and Saint Gregory the Great;
18. 18th-century nativity scene of the Basílica dos Mártires by Joaquim Machado de Castro (1731–1822).
19. Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Loreto: The Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Loreto has served as the church of the Italian community in Lisbon since 1785 and is the only church in the city to hold masses in Italian. Nossa Senhora do Loreto is the patron saint of Italy, and her presence in Lisbon reflects the strong ties of the Italian community to the Portuguese capital, particularly the large number of Genoese and Venetian merchants and seafarers active in Lisbon. The current church was built through the collaboration of Italian and Portuguese artists under the direction of architect Joaquim António dos Reis Zuzarte, and later José da Costa e Silva (1747–1819). The Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Loreto highlights include:
20. Statues of Nossa Senhora do Loreto with the Christ Child, Saint Peter and Saint Paul on the main façade;
21. 18th-century organ.
22. The Image of Nossa Senhora do Loreto that survived the fire; the Sacristy that survived the 1755 earthquake, featuring the following points of interest:
    • Vestment chests — furniture used to store liturgical garments in churches — built in Santo wood by António Machado Sapeiro;
    • Ceiling painting by Machado Sapeiro;
    • Relics of Saint Justin Martyr brought from Rome in the 17th century;
    • Azulejo panels by António Pereira Rovasco and Gabriel del Barco;
23. Igreja do Santíssimo Sacramento: The Igreja do Santíssimo Sacramento is the only church in Lisbon oriented to the East and the only one to hold a Latin mass on Sunday afternoons. The church has been located on Calçada do Sacramento since its inauguration on 5 April 1807, designed in Baroque style by architect Remígio Francisco de Abreu. The main highlights of the Igreja do Santíssimo Sacramento are:
24. Painting representing angels by Pedro Alexandrino Carvalho;
25. Altar of Nossa Senhora da Soledade by Sebastião Alves;
26. Six silver lanterns with a combined weight of 36 kilograms, by Luís José Pereira;
27. Ceiling with a painting representing an allegory of the Sacrament by Pedro Alexandrino;
28. Organ built in 1817 by António Xavier Machado e Cerveira;
29. Eight paintings on the lateral church walls representing the Four Evangelists — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John — and the Four Doctors of the Church — Saint Jerome, Saint Gregory, Saint Ambrose, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory the Great.
30. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação: The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação is a parish church located on Largo do Chiado. The first version of the church was built in 1708, destroyed in the 1755 earthquake and subsequently rebuilt in Baroque style to a design by architect Manuel Caetano de Sousa. The main highlights of the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação are:
31. Sculpture of Nossa Senhora da Encarnação by Machado de Castro;
32. Ceiling paintings by Simão Caetano Nunes;
33. 17th-century statues of Santa Catarina that survived the 1755 earthquake, artist unknown.
34. Teatro Nacional de São Carlos: The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos has been Portugal’s principal opera house since its inauguration on 30 June 1793 on Rua Serpa Pinto, near Largo do Chiado. The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos was the first building in Lisbon constructed in Neoclassical style, built to a design by architect José da Costa e Silva (1747–1819), inspired by La Scala in Milan and the work Essai sur l’Architecture Théâtrale by Pierre Patte, published in 1782. The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos is also notable for the establishment of a Theatre Chorus in 1843, the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra in 1953, and for staging opera productions between September and July each year. The main points of interest are:
35. Exterior façade with Balcony: a central panel bearing a dedication to Dona Carlota Joaquina (1775–1830) and the Intendant Pina Manique (1733–1805), two key figures in the construction of the Theatre, and two lateral panels with symbolic representations of the Caduceus of Mercury. The Caduceus of Mercury is depicted as a staff entwined by two serpents meeting at the top, carried by Roman Generals when establishing Peace. The Caduceus of Mercury symbolises the importance the Theatre held during the 19th century as a unifying force and meeting point for all social classes;
36. Interior Auditorium: The auditorium was built in an oval form and decorated with gilded materials, to a design by Manuel da Costa. It features five tiers of boxes, balconies and a stalls area with a capacity of approximately 600 seats. The highlights of the auditorium include a chandelier of 10.9 metres in circumference with 284 lamps; ceiling paintings in the vestibule and on the proscenium curtain by Cirilo Wolkmar Machado; ceiling paintings in the main hall by Manuel da Costa; and paintings in the Royal Box by Giovanni Appiani.
37. Armazéns do Chiado: The Armazéns do Chiado is a covered shopping centre spread across several floors, with a total of 54 shops, 12 restaurants, 3 kiosks and a terrace with views over the Castelo de São Jorge, distributed across Rua do Carmo, Rua Nova do Almada and Rua Garrett. FNAC is the largest shop in this commercial space, which opened in 1999 to a design by architects Álvaro Siza Vieira and Souto Moura, with the aim of recreating the grandeur of the original Grandes Armazéns do Chiado, inaugurated on the same site on 20 November 1894 and inspired by Parisian department stores. The building now housing the Armazéns do Chiado has served numerous functions over the centuries, including as the Convento do Espírito Santo da Pedreira of the Oratory of São Filipe Nery between 1674 and 1834, the residence of the Baron of Barcelinhos between 1755 and 1883, the Hotel Gibraltar between 1883 and 1874, the Hotel Universal between 1874 and 1883, and the Companhia dos Grandes Armazéns do Chiado from 20 November 1894 until 25 August 1988, the date of the Chiado fire.

Further Attractions in Chiado

1. Café A Brazileira: Café A Brazileira is one of Lisbon’s most notable historic cafés and a meeting point for intellectuals since its founding in 1905 on Rua Garrett. Adriano Telles, a northerner born in Alvarenga, left for Brazil at the age of twelve, where he made his fortune in the coffee trade. The name of the establishment derives precisely from the fact that the coffee was imported from Brazil and sold to Lisbon residents. This entrepreneur opened several shops selling coffee in Lisbon, Braga and Seville. Café A Brazileira occupies a central and privileged location in Lisbon and is a meeting point for many locals and tourists, owing to its proximity to Praça Camões, Largo do Chiado and the Baixa-Chiado metro station. The café is associated with several points of curiosity, including the popular legend that the Portuguese expression “BICA” — widely used when ordering an espresso — first appeared here as an abbreviation standing for “Beba Isto Com Açúcar” (Drink This With Sugar), though the true origin of the term remains debated. The points of interest of Café A Brazileira are the Paintings inside the establishment by Almada Negreiros, Eduardo Viana, Jorge Barradas, António Soares, Stuart Cavalhães, José Pacheko and Bernardo Marques; the bronze statue of Fernando Pessoa by Lagoa Henriques, inaugurated in 1988; and the cuisine, particularly the chicken pasties, the bife à Brazileira, seafood açorda and lemon meringue tart.
2. Teatro da Trindade: The Teatro da Trindade is one of Lisbon’s oldest theatres and the venue where the first Portuguese-style revues were staged in the 19th century, located on Rua Nova da Trindade. The building was commissioned by writer and playwright Francisco Palha de Faria Lacerda (1827–1890) on the site of the former Academia da Trindade and was the first Popular Opera Theatre in Portugal. The Teatro da Trindade was inaugurated on 30 November 1867 to a design by Miguel Evaristo de Lima Pinto in Neoclassical style and is one of the most important venues in Portuguese theatre. Among its notable productions was a theatrical adaptation of Os Maias — the celebrated novel first published in book form in 1888 by Eça de Queiroz — a theatre Eça considered to be the Theatre of Lisbon. The main highlights of the Teatro da Trindade are the Medallions representing writers António Ferreira (1528–1569), Damião de Góis (1502–1574) and Sá de Miranda (1481–1558); and the Bust of Terpsichore, the Greek muse of dance.
3. Teatro São Luiz: The Teatro São Luiz is a Lisbon theatre dedicated to promoting Portuguese culture through the performing arts. The Teatro São Luiz has been located on Rua António Maria Cardoso since its inauguration on 22 May 1894, opened under the name Teatro Dona Amélia in honour of Queen of Portugal Dona Amélia (1865–1951). The theatre was designed by architect Miguel Ventura Terra with the collaboration of set designer Luigi Manini (1848–1936). The Teatro São Luiz was one of the first sound cinema venues in Lisbon from 1930.
4. Pastelaria Alcôa: Pastelaria Alcôa is a pastry shop renowned for the quality of its convent sweets, particularly the pastéis de nata and cornucópias. The Pastelaria Alcôa on Rua Garrett features the following highlights:
   • Convent pastries, notably the Cornucópia and Pastéis de Nata;
   • The Casa da Sorte building, considered part of Lisbon’s heritage. The building’s decoration is by artist Querubim Lapa (1925–2016) and was inaugurated in 1963 as a Casa da Sorte (lottery shop).
5. Entretanto Rooftop: The Entretanto Rooftop is a terrace with panoramic views over Lisbon located on the seventh floor of the Hotel do Chiado on Rua Nova do Almada. The terrace is part of the hotel bar, offering views of the Tagus River to the right and the Elevador de Santa Justa and Baixa Pombalina to the left. On clear summer days the terrace provides a sweeping view of Lisbon against a deep blue sky.
6. Igreja da Encarnação: The Igreja da Encarnação was inaugurated in 1708 and fully rebuilt after the earthquake of 1 November 1755 by architect Manuel Caetano de Sousa (1738–1802). The highlights are the chapel-mor, the four side chapels and the statues on the church façade.
7. A Vida Portuguesa: A Vida Portuguesa is a shop where visitors can find historic Portuguese brands that form part of national culture, including Andorinha olive oil, the almanac Borda d’Água, Tricana tinned fish, and Licor Beirão. A Vida Portuguesa has become a commercial success story, leading to the opening of several shops across the country, including two in the Chiado neighbourhood.
8. Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon: The Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon is the oldest higher art school in the country, in continuous operation since 1836 in the building of the former Convento de São Francisco in Chiado, located on Largo da Academia Nacional de Belas-Artes. The Convento de São Francisco in Chiado was built in 1217 and served numerous functions throughout its history, including as the national headquarters of the Order of Saint Francis, a Estudo Geral (the medieval equivalent of a university), a hospice, a regimental hospital, the Royal Library in 1798 and the Academy of Fine Arts. The Faculty of Fine Arts currently has approximately 1,700 students enrolled across 29 courses, and offers two research centres, multimedia art laboratories, sculpture laboratories, painting laboratories, a library, an archive and a virtual museum.
9. Basílica dos Mártires
10. Grémio Literário
11. Igreja da Encarnação
12. Igreja do Loreto
13. Igreja do Sacramento
14. Museu do Chiado: Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea
15. Praça Luís de Camões
16. Rua Garrett
17. Teatro da Trindade
18. Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
19. Teatro de São Luiz
20. Teatro Estúdio Mário Viegas
21. Teatro Nacional São Carlos
22. Teatro Rápido
23. Terraços do Carmo

Historic Shops to Visit in Chiado

The Historic Shops initiative is a project created by the City Council in 2015 with the dual aim of protecting the material, historical and cultural heritage of Lisbon and promoting the commercial activity that contributes to the identity and character of the city. The network currently comprises 82 Historic Shops.

1. Luvaria Ulisses: Luvaria Ulisses is part of the Historic Shops network, established to protect the cultural heritage of Lisbon. It is a shop dedicated exclusively to the sale of gloves, since its inauguration in 1925 by Joaquim Rodrigues Simões on Rua do Carmo. The shop is small — a single corridor — but well worth a visit for the quality of its goods, the friendliness of its staff, the interior decoration by woodcarver Carlos de Alcântara Kotz, and the façade by engineer Arthur Guilherme Rodrigues Cohen.
2. Pastelaria Benard: Pastelaria Benard is one of the few patisseries — shops specialising in Paris-inspired pastries — still operating in Lisbon, where visitors can enjoy delicacies such as croissants. The pastry shop has been located on Rua Garrett since 1902; the first shop was opened on Rua do Loreto in 1868 by Élie Bénard under the name Patisserie Benard. Maria Augusta Gomes, the current owner, has made the establishment a must-visit destination for the quality of its plain, chocolate and egg custard croissants and for the cultural events it hosts, including music and painting activities. Pastelaria Benard has been the scene of several notable episodes throughout its history, including:
   • The pastry shop was one of the few establishments where women were permitted to be present without male company;
   • The shop changed its name to Pastelaria Benard in 1926 due to a prohibition on foreign-language names on building façades;
   • Queen Elizabeth II of England dined here during her visit to Portugal between 18 and 23 February 1957.
3. Restaurante Tavares: The Restaurante Tavares is one of the oldest restaurants in Europe and the oldest in continuous operation in Portugal, having been inaugurated in 1784 by the Tavares brothers on Rua da Misericórdia. The Restaurante Tavares is also known as Tavares Rico because the owner decided to open a second, more modest restaurant called Tavares Pobre, now closed. The Restaurante Tavares was innovative in several respects, including the introduction of à la carte menus and the importation of foreign specialities such as French patés. The main highlights of Restaurante Tavares are:
   • Quality of the cuisine, particularly the Oscietra Pestrige Caviar, Sole Meunière, Bife à Tavares and pistachio soufflé
   • Salão Nobre: a room paying tribute to illustrious guests who have visited the restaurant, including Amália Rodrigues, Almada Negreiros, Eça de Queiroz, Cary Grant, Eisenhower, Calouste Gulbenkian, Hemingway and Madonna
   • Historic gatherings of Eça de Queiroz: the writer receives special recognition in the restaurant for hosting the meetings of the Vencidos da Vida group between 1887 and 1894
4. Casa Havaneza: Casa Havaneza is Lisbon’s oldest tobacconist, founded in 1861 by François Caen and Charles Vanderin in association with banker Henry Burnay, with the aim of selling Cuban tobacco from a shop on Largo do Chiado. The shop became one of Lisbon’s most important meeting points for writers, intellectuals, politicians and artists exchanging views on Lisbon life and society. The tobacconist stocks a range of quality products, including Cohiba, Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta cigars, as well as smoker’s accessories such as lighters, cigar cutters and cigar cases. The network has four shops located in Chiado, the Centro Comercial Amoreiras, the Centro Comercial Colombo and Casa Havaneza in Porto.
5. Livraria Ferin: Livraria Ferin is the second oldest bookshop in the country, founded in 1840 by Belgian Jean-Baptiste Ferin on Rua Nova do Almada. The bookshop gained considerable prestige and was appointed Official Bookbinder to the Portuguese Royal House at the request of King Dom Pedro V (1837–1861). The shop displays approximately fifteen thousand books and documents in counters, cabinets and wooden shelving. A notable episode in the history of Livraria Ferin is that it was one of the few buildings not to burn in the Chiado fire of 25 August 1988.
6. A Carioca: A Carioca is a historic coffee and tea shop founded in 1936 by Isidoro Teixeira on Rua da Misericórdia.
7. André Ópticas: André Ópticas is a historic optician, inaugurated as Óptica Ramos in 1888 on Rua Garrett.
8. Barbearia Campos: Barbearia Campos is the oldest barber shop in the country, inaugurated in 1886 on Largo do Chiado.
9. Casa Pereira: Casa Pereira is a historic shop selling teas and coffees since its founding in 1930 on Rua Garrett.
10. Farmácia Andrade: Farmácia Andrade was the first pharmacy to use medicinal substances in glass ampoules since its inauguration in 1837.
11. Florista Pequeno Jardim: Florista Pequeno Jardim is the last florist in Chiado open to the public, operating since 1922.
12. Joalharia do Carmo: Joalharia do Carmo is a historic shop selling jewellery and silverware since 1926 on Rua Garrett.

1. Leitão & Irmão: The Leitão & Irmão jeweller’s is a historic shop on Rua Garrett offering jewellery sales and bespoke services including engraving, piece transformation, restoration and cleaning.
2. Paris em Lisboa: The Paris em Lisboa shop achieved almost immediate success when it opened in 1888, selling articles related to French fashion.
3. Sapataria Carmo: Sapataria Carmo was inaugurated in 1904 on Largo do Carmo by Francisco de Oliveira Abrantes, with the aim of selling quality footwear, each pair distinguished by the brand’s logo stamped directly onto the shoe.

Main Streets and Squares of Chiado

• Rua Garrett: Rua Garrett, formerly Rua do Chiado, was renamed on 14 June 1880 at the request of the then Mayor José Gregório da Rosa Araújo, in honour of Almeida Garrett (1799–1854), writer and driving force of theatre in Portugal. Almeida Garrett, writer and politician, was the key figure responsible for introducing Romanticism to Portugal through works including Camões (1825), Dona Branca (1825), Viagens na Minha Terra (1846), and for renewing Portuguese theatre with the production of Frei Luís de Sousa in 1844. Almeida Garrett also served as a Member of Parliament, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Consul General in Belgium, founder of the Conservatório de Arte Dramática do Teatro Nacional and Inspector-General of Theatres. On Rua Garrett one can find the Livraria Bertrand, the Alma restaurant, a chocolate shop, the Kaffeehaus and the Instituto Macrobiótico de Portugal.
• Largo do Chiado: Largo do Chiado is the main square of the Chiado neighbourhood, connecting Praça Camões, Rua da Misericórdia, Largo São Carlos and Rua Garrett. In Largo do Chiado one can see the statue of poet António Ribeiro Chiado, Café A Brasileira, the Igreja da Misericórdia, the Igreja do Loreto and the Baixa-Chiado metro station. It is a lively space with regular street performers and a constant presence of tourists and visitors from across Portugal, filled with sounds and aromas from many parts of the world. Largo do Chiado was once one of the most important entry and exit points of Lisbon, marked by the construction of the Portas de Santa Catarina between 1373 and 1375, demolished in the early 18th century.
• Largo de São Carlos: Largo de São Carlos is a pedestrian square connecting Rua Paiva de Andrade to Rua Serpa Pinto, laid out in a square form to showcase the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, the square’s principal building. It is a privileged location for lovers of classical music and opera, with free open-air concerts held regularly during the summer season. Largo de São Carlos takes its name from the founding of the theatre in the 18th century. It is also the square where the house where Fernando Pessoa was born and spent his childhood is located. Largo de São Carlos was temporarily renamed Largo do Diretório on 18 October 1913, in honour of the headquarters of the Partido Republicano Português in Lisbon. The name reverted to “Largo de São Carlos” on 28 May 1956.
• Calçada do Santíssimo Sacramento: Calçada do Santíssimo Sacramento connects Rua Garrett to Largo do Carmo and takes its name from the presence of the Igreja do Santíssimo Sacramento.
• Rua da Anchieta: The name “Rua da Anchieta” was assigned in 1885 in honour of explorer and naturalist José Anchieta, who collected animal and botanical specimens for the Lisbon Museum between 1864 and 1865. Rua da Anchieta connects Rua Garrett to Rua Capelo Ivens and is one of Chiado’s busiest streets, owing to its concentration of shops, restaurants and short-term accommodation. It is easily accessible on foot and by vehicle.
• Rua Serpa Pinto: Rua Serpa Pinto has been named in honour of African explorer Alexandre de Serpa Pinto (1846–1900) since 7 September 1885. Serpa Pinto was Portugal’s most important African explorer, responsible for charting an interior route across the African continent linking Angola to Mozambique between 1879 and 1884. This expedition later gave rise to the Pink Map and the diplomatic conflict between Portugal and England in 1890. Rua Serpa Pinto has carried several names throughout its history, including:
  • Rua do Saco: so named because it was a dead-end street. The designation Rua do Saco was common in Portugal until the 17th century for streets with no exit;
  • Rua Nova dos Mártires;
  • Rua Leva da Morte: so named following the death of 6 prisoners and 1 guard, and the wounding of 60 others, out of a total of 151 prisoners and 253 guards being transported from the Civil Governor’s office to Cais do Sodré railway station. The shooting — considered at the time a massacre — took place on the current Rua Serpa Pinto on 16 October 1918;
  • Rua 16 de Outubro: named in reference to the episode described above.
• Largo da Trindade: Largo da Trindade has carried this name since 1913 for two reasons: firstly, it is the site of the Igreja e Convento da Ordem da Santíssima Trindade since the 13th century; and secondly, in honour of José Francisco de Trindade Coelho (1861–1908), writer and Republican politician, founder of the newspapers Gazeta de Portalegre and Comércio de Portalegre, and author of works including O ABC do Povo (1901) and O Manual Político do Cidadão Português (1906). Largo da Trindade has carried several names throughout its history, including:
  • Largo de São Roque: this name arose when in 1509 Dom Manuel I ordered the construction of a chapel to house a relic of São Roque — the patron saint protecting against the Plague, Invalids and Surgeons — in response to the severe outbreak of plague in Lisbon. The Igreja de São Roque was converted into the headquarters of the Society of Jesus in Portugal in 1553;
  • Largo do Cauteleiro: so named owing to the presence of the Statue in honour of the Cauteleiros — street vendors of lottery tickets and games of chance. The Statue of the Cauteleiro by Fernanda de Assis was inaugurated on 18 November 1987 to mark the 204th anniversary of the National Lottery. The headquarters of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa was also inaugurated at this same location on the same date.
• Rua Nova da Trindade: Rua Nova da Trindade was opened in 1836 following the demolition of the Convento da Santíssima Trindade, which had stood since the 13th century. It is currently one of Chiado’s busiest streets, owing to the presence of establishments such as the Cervejaria da Trindade, Bairro do Avillez and the Teatro da Trindade performance venue.
• Largo da Academia Nacional de Belas Artes: Largo da Academia Nacional de Belas Artes has carried this name since 6 April 1982, owing to the presence of the Faculty of Fine Arts.
• Largo Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro: Largo Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, formerly Largo da Albergoaria, has carried this name since 11 February 1915 in honour of Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro (1846–1905). Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro was an artist and caricaturist of numerous works and characters, most notably Zé Povinho, created in 1875. This uniquely versatile artist worked as a caricaturist for publications such as A Lanterna Mágica and O Mosquito, and as artistic director of the Fábrica de Faianças das Caldas da Rainha. Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro is best known for his ceramics and for his sharp social and political commentary at the end of the 19th century.

Chiado Curiosities

Largo do Chiado was formerly known as Largo das Duas Igrejas, situated opposite the old Portas de Santa Catarina — one of Lisbon’s historic city gates. In 1707 the Portas de Santa Catarina were demolished to allow the passage of the royal cortège of Dona Maria Ana of Austria, queen consort of Dom João V. Largo do Chiado was once one of the busiest entry points into Lisbon due to the Bairro Alto, formerly known as Villa Nova de Andrade. The Portas de Santa Catarina were intersected by the Direita das Portas de Santa Catarina, along which royal processions, religious processions, popular festivities and cultural events passed through Lisbon from the 16th century onwards — including the wedding procession of Dom Afonso VI and Dona Maria Francisca of Savoy in 1666, and the wedding procession of Dom José I and Dona Maria Vitória of Bourbon in 1729. Chiado was a prestigious neighbourhood housing the palaces of the Nobility and Upper Bourgeoisie, and one of the areas most severely affected by the earthquake of 1 November 1755.

The Bairro do Chiado falls within two civil parishes of Lisbon:

• São Nicolau
• Mártires

Five-Star Tourist Accommodation

• Bairro Alto Hotel
• Chiado16 Boutique Hotel

Educational Establishments

• Externato Paroquial Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Chiado campus)
• Health Institutions:
• José Manuel Curado Prates: Dermatology and Venereology
• Hospital da Ordem Terceira

Four-Star Tourist Accommodation

• Borges Chiado Hotel
• Hotel do Chiado
• Lisboa Carmo Hotel
• Lisboa Pessoa Hotel
• Mercy 9Hotel
• Teatro Boutique Hotel
• Hostels
• Lisb-On Hostel
• PH in Chiado

Shopping in Chiado

• Adolfo Dominguez
• Ana Salazar
• Armazéns do Chiado
• Antiquário do Chiado
• Benetton
• Bershka
• Fnac
• HM
• Joalharia do Carmo
• Lanidor
• Livraria Bertrand
• Livraria Ferin
• Sapataria do Carmo
• Storytailors

Transport and Access in Chiado

Chiado is served by the following transport options:

• Lisbon Metro:
  • Baixa-Chiado Metro Station (Blue and Green Lines)

Car Parks in Chiado

• Parque da Rua Nova do Almada
• Parque da Rua Almirante Pessanha no Largo do Carmo
• Parque do Camões
• Parque do Chiado

Fairs and Festivals in Chiado

• Feira dos Alfarrabistas: held daily on Rua da Anchieta
• Feira de Artesanato do Sacramento: held on the third Sunday of each month on Largo do Carmo

History of Chiado

Chiado was founded in the 12th century and quickly became the preferred residential area of the Portuguese Nobility. Following the earthquake of 1 November 1755, Chiado became one of the most important areas of Lisbon as a result of the reconstruction works carried out under the Marquis of Pombal. Chiado was the scene of several important events in the history of Portugal, including the French invasions of the early 19th century and the Liberal Revolution of 1820. The neighbourhood was largely uninhabited during the 1820s. Chiado became Lisbon’s literary, artistic and cultural reference point from the 1830s onwards, a role it continues to hold today. The most defining event in Chiado’s recent history was the fire that destroyed the Armazéns do Chiado building on 25 August 1988. The flames spread rapidly through the entire building, at one point threatening the whole neighbourhood. The building was rebuilt by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira and retains the name “Armazéns do Chiado”, now housing 55 shops, 15 restaurants and 1 hotel.

Chiado and the Lisbon Earthquake of 1 November 1755

Lisbon was struck by three successive disasters on 1 November 1755: an earthquake, followed by a tsunami and then a fire. The catastrophes called everything into question — from one of the world’s greatest empires to the beliefs of its people. The events were described and painted by foreign residents in Lisbon, notably Daniel Braddock. The British were present in Lisbon due to trade connected to Brazil, particularly gold. Lisbon, like any Catholic city of the 18th century, was celebrating All Saints’ Day — one of the most important feast days in Catholicism, honouring all the saints and martyrs of the Catholic Church. On 1 November 1755, the majority of Lisbon’s inhabitants were inside the city’s 19 convents, 40 parish churches and 130 chapels at 9:30 in the morning when the earth began to tremble. The earthquake’s epicentre was located approximately 250 km south-west of Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean, triggering what is considered the most destructive earthquake in European history, with an estimated magnitude of between 8.5 and 9 on the Richter Scale.

Earthquake of 1 November 1755

Lisbon began to shake at approximately 9:30 and within minutes was covered in ash and sand that turned day into night. The Portuguese capital became a city of darkness — a city worthy of Dante’s Inferno. Many people believed the tragedy was a divine punishment from God. After the tremor, a large number of survivors fled towards the nearest point of the Tagus River, unaware that a further disaster was about to unfold. The tsunami took approximately ninety minutes to reach Lisbon and was so devastating that thousands of bodies and pieces of furniture were sighted ten days later in the Atlantic Ocean by the captain of a passing vessel.

Fire of 1 November 1755

The fire broke out in the aftermath of the tsunami on 1 November 1755, as a consequence of the thousands of candles lit for the All Saints’ Day masses being knocked over during the earthquake. Hundreds of small fires scattered across the city merged into a single great conflagration. By 2 November 1755, Lisbon was almost entirely ablaze — a firestorm. The firestorm struck the Baixa district with particular ferocity, a valley surrounded by three hills where temperatures exceeded one thousand degrees Celsius. Lisbon became a single enormous flame for the survivors of these three catastrophes. The fire burned for approximately one week. During the 1755 disaster, Lisbon was the scene of looting, killings and assaults as the city’s prisons were destroyed and prisoners escaped. Criminals organised into groups to pillage, rob, violate and kill indiscriminately. The discovery of a mass grave beneath the former Convento de Jesus — today the Academia das Ciências — suggests that cannibalism occurred among survivors due to severe food shortages. This situation led the Marquis of Pombal to impose martial law.

Destruction of 1 November 1755

The city’s principal buildings were destroyed, including the Igreja de Santa Catarina, the Igreja de São Paulo, the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança, the Inquisition Court, the Royal Library, the treasury stored in the warehouses of the Casa da Índia, and the Paço da Ribeira. Many Europeans regarded the destruction of the Paço da Ribeira as equivalent to the loss of the Library of Alexandria in Ancient Egypt. At the same time, some brothels survived the disaster — a fact that led the population to question why the churches had been destroyed while these establishments had not. The Marquis of Pombal acted immediately, ordering the clearing of streets, prohibiting the population from leaving Lisbon, drawing up an inventory of destroyed properties, overseeing the rebuilding of the city and imposing martial law. Lisbon lost between fifteen and one hundred thousand people, and Portugal approximately half of its wealth. The earthquake ignited an intense debate across Europe on science, nature and God. Voltaire was among the European figures most deeply affected by the tragedy, seeking answers through the publication of several works, most notably Candide — whose hero survives the earthquake and begins to question the role of the Church in society.

Location of the Santa Maria Maior Parish (Chiado) on the Lisbon Map