Square · Portugal · Still standing

Praça do Comércio

Praça do Comércio (Terreiro do Paço) is Lisbon’s large riverside public square on the Tagus, framed by uniform Pombaline arcaded buildings and dominated by an equestrian statue of King José I. It replaced the royal Ribeira Palace after the 1755 earthquake and long housed government ministries, cafés and a museum. The square is a national monument and a principal ceremonial and transport-facing open space of the city.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1875

Today

Still standing

As it stood in 1875

What Praça do Comércio looked like in its prime.

A vast, near-rectangular harbour-facing plaza paved in pale stone, rimmed by three sides of uniform ochre-yellow Pombaline façades with ground-floor arcades and regular rows of tall sash windows beneath red tile roofs. The open southern arm faces the Tagus; twin square pavilions mark the river side. At the plaza centre stands a high white marble pedestal with rich sculptural groups supporting a bronze equestrian statue of King José I. The scale is expansive and formally symmetrical.

Step inside

8 places to explore in 1875.

The record describes 8 distinct spots at Praça do Comércio, including 3 interiors: arcaded gallery under the façades (covered walkways), martinho da arcada café interior, western tower / museum of lisbon entrance and stair. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more photos, more angles and more of the immersive experience.

Rua Augusta Arch approach (north entrance)Centre of plaza looking south toward the riverFull view of the equestrian statue of King José IBase of the pedestal — sculptural groups and reliefsArcaded gallery under the façades (covered walkways)Martinho da Arcada café interiorWestern tower / Museum of Lisbon entrance and stairCais das Colunas — riverside marble steps

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