Praça do Comércio Lisbon

Praça do Comércio (Terreiro do Paço)

Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) is a large, historic square on the banks of the River Tagus in Lisbon. It was built on the site previously occupied by the Terreiro do Paço (Palace Yard) following its destruction in the 1755 earthquake. Lisboetas often still use the previous name for the square.

Along with the Arco da Rua Augusta at its northern end, the Praça do Comércio is one of the centerpieces of the redevelopment of the Baixa district of the Portuguese capital by the Marquis of Pombal in the mid-18th century.

Praca do Comercio, Lisbon. — Praça do Comércio, Lisbon

Architecture

The U-shaped square, open at the Tagus end, was designed by Portuguese architect, Eugénio dos Santos. He was also responsible for the layout of the nearby Praça do Município. The buildings, with covered galleries on their ground floors, supported by columns, were occupied by the various ministries of state of Portugal and its then burgeoning empire. The two arms of the U-shape end in larger towers. It was at the open Tagus end of the square that ships would set out and dock on their voyages to all corners of the Portuguese overseas empire, thus the renaming of the square as "Commerce Square" when it was rebuilt.

Statue of José I, Praça do Comércio, Lisboa. — Statue of José I, Praça do Comércio, Lisboa

Statue of King José I

The central piazza has a mounted bronze statue of King José I symbolically crushing snakes by Joaquim Machado de Castro (1731-1822), after whom a museum is named in his native Coimbra.

Praça do Comércio was also the scene of the assassination of King Carlos I in 1908.

Nowadays, many of the administrative yellow-painted buildings that once served Portugal's empire in South America and the Far East during the so-called Age of Discoveries have been transformed for other uses.

Pousada de Lisboa

On the northern side of the square near the Arco da Rua Augusta is the Pestana Pousada de Lisboa, one of the most exclusive boutique places to stay in the capital.

Nearby is Lisbon's oldest cafe, the Cafe Martinho da Arcada, which opened in 1782, and was a favourite haunt of the writer Fernando Pessoa.

Turismo in Lisbon. — Praça do Comércio Tourist Information Office

Lisbon Tourist Office (Turismo)

On the western side of the square is the main Lisbon Tourist Office (Turismo) with a stylish shop selling upmarket craft items from all over Portugal. A couple of pricey pavement cafes stand outside to sit and admire the view. Also on this side of the square is the HQ of Viniportugal, which promotes Portuguese wine. There are tastings Monday through Saturday. Also here is the Interpretative Center of the History of Cod dedicated to the national dish - bacalhau - salted cod. The Portuguese consume around 20% of the world's codfish stocks. The museum explores how Portugal's fishers once sailed to the coasts of Newfoundland and Greenland in search of the so-called 'faithful friend' on the Portuguese dinner table, offers several recommended recipes using bacalhau and looks at the future of the industry in general. You can also try several codfish dishes at its stylish restaurant, A Mesa.

Museu do Dinheiro

A short walk away is the Museu do Dinheiro (Money Museum) which presents the history and evolution of money in Portugal and the world. The museum occupies the former Igreja of São Julião, the crypt of the church retains "King Dinis' Wall" - an original remnant of the city's Medieval wall.

Nearby Attractions

On the eastern side of the square is the Museu da Cerveja (Beer Museum) a cervejaria/cafe housed in the former Ministry of Finance building. Inside and upstairs is an interesting museum for beer lovers celebrating the traditions of beer and beer production in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries: Angola, Brazil, Mozambique, Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe.

Also on the western side of the square is the Lisboa Story Centre, which presents the history of Lisbon in 60 minutes and is popular both with visiting school parties and tourists for its multimedia exhibits and interactive approach. In summer a video and light show from the Lisboa Story Centre is projected on the Arco da Rua Augusta in the evening.

The nearest Lisbon metro stations to Praça do Comércio are Terreiro do Paço Station, Baixa-Chiado, Rossio or Cais do Sodre, just 10 minutes walk to the west.

Alternatively take tram #28 or a Lisbon bus any of numbers: 728, 737, 735, 759, 794