University of Lisbon Alameda Campus

Art at the Faculdade de Letras (Faculty of Humanities) & Faculdade de Direito (Faculty of Law) at the Universidade de Lisboa (University of Lisbon)

The Faculty of Humanities of the University of Lisbon (Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa) and the Faculty of Law (Faculdade de Direito) are both part of the University of Lisbon Alameda campus (aka University City; Cidade Universitária) in the north of the city near Campo Grande metro and bus station.

The campus includes the National Library of Portugal (Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal) and the National Archives (Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo), which moved here in 1990.

In addition, there is a sports ground and swimming pool within the expansive grounds as well as other faculty buildings, namely Science and Medicine. Several other national organizations have their HQ's here, too. The first part of construction of the campus was finished in 1937.

Faculty of Humanities of the University of Lisbon. — Art at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Lisbon by José de Almada Negreiros

Engraving at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon by José de Almada Negreiros. — Engraving at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon by José de Almada Negreiros

History

The campus was planned by Duarte Pacheco, the minister of public works under Salazar and the New State (Estado Novo) regime and also a popular mayor of Lisbon before his life was cut short in a car accident.

He employed his favorite architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro, who in turn commissioned Almada Negreiros for the art work.

Pardal Monteiro's other buildings in Lisbon, often in collaboration with Almada Negreiros, include Portela Airport, the National Stadium (Estádio Nacional) - inspired somewhat by the Olympiastadion in Berlin, the Biblioteca Nacional, Cais do Sodre Station and the Diário de Notícias headquarters on Avenida da Liberdade.

The pair also worked together on the modernist Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima (Church of Our Lady of Fátima).

Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo. — Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo

Art

At the Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (Faculty of Humanities of the University of Lisbon) there are twenty different scenes of engravings by Almada Negreiros. These allude to figures from Portuguese and world literature. They were added in 1961.

The engravings include references to the Book of Genesis, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, Dante's Divine Comedy, Cervantes' ‎Don Quixote, Shakespeare's Hamlet and Goethe's Faust.

Portuguese writers referenced include Gil Vicente, Camões, Fernão Mendes Pinto, Almeida Garrett and, of course, Almada Negreiros' friend, the poet Fernando Pessoa.

Other notable works of art on the campus are the gigantic gargoyles on the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo designed by sculptor José Aurélio.

As a gruesome side note the Faculty of Medicine contains the severed head of serial killer, Diogo Alves. Alves was hanged in 1841 for a series of murders on the Aqueduto das Aguas Livres, from where he pushed several women to their deaths.

The National Library in Lisbon. — The National Library in Lisbon part of University City (Cidade Universitária)

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

Reading Room at the National Library in Lisbon. — Reading Room at the National Library in Lisbon

Those interested in the architecture of Pardal Monteiro and the art of Almada Negreiros in tandem can visit the Diário de Notícias headquarters building designed by Pardal Monteiro on Avenida da Liberdade which has a large mural by Almada Negreiros entitled Mapa-Múndi in the foyer.

The Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon (at the time just the Ritz Hotel and Lisbon's first five-star hotel) was another collaboration between Pardal Monteiro and Almada Negreiros.

The lounge has an engraved marble wall and three beautiful tapestries by Almada. The tapestries depict geometric scenes involving classical centaurs. The black and gold marble mural and column is entitled Harvest and depicts a female harvester viewed by a mounted male figure.

University of Lisbon Alameda Campus. — University of Lisbon Alameda Campus

Nearby

Nearby are several Lisbon museums. The Museu de Lisboa, the Museu Bordalo Pinheiro and Sporting Museum within the Estádio José Alvalade.

Several hotels are also within close proximity of the campus. Recommended are the four-star VIP Executive Entrecampos Hotel & Conference, the Hotel NH Lisboa Campo Grande, and the Le Jardin guest house to the south east of the campus, and the Radisson Blu, an upmarket but reasonably-priced accommodation near Campo Grande.

The four-star Lisbon Marriott Hotel is on the west side along with the SANA Metropolitan Hotel.