Lisbon is the capital of the Portuguese Republic and the largest seaport city in Portugal, located at the westernmost point of the European continent. It covers an area of 82 square kilometers and had a population of 535,000 in 1999. To the north of Lisbon lies the Sintra Mountains. The Tagus River, the largest river in Portugal, flows through the southern part of the city and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Influenced by the warm Atlantic currents, Lisbon enjoys a pleasant climate; it does not freeze in winter nor is it sweltering in summer. The average temperature in January and February is 8°C, while the average temperature in July and August is 26°C. For most of the year, the weather is sunny, warm, and comfortable.
Lisbon has been inhabited since prehistoric times. In 1147, the first King of Portugal, Afonso I, captured Lisbon. In 1245, Lisbon became the capital and trade center of the Kingdom of Portugal.
Lisbon's landscaping is exceptional, with 250 parks and gardens within the city, and 1,400 hectares of lawns and green spaces. The roads are lined with trees such as cypress, palm, linden, lemon, olive, and fig. The city remains evergreen with blooming flowers all year round, resembling a charming and fragrant garden. Nestled between hills and water, the city is spread across six small hills. Viewed from afar, the red-tiled roofs of varying shades and the lush green foliage create a beautiful and harmonious landscape.
Lisbon features many commemorative towers and monuments. The Belém Tower, located on the Atlantic coast, was built in the early 16th century; at high tide, it appears to float on the water, creating a stunning view. The Jerónimos Monastery in front of the tower is a typical example of the Manueline architecture popular in the early 16th century, characterized by its grand scale and ornate carvings. The monastery houses the tombs of prominent national figures, including the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama and the famous poet Luís de Camões. The nearby Monument to the Discoveries is beautifully designed and magnificent, resembling a giant sailing ship navigating the vast blue waves when viewed from a distance. The reliefs on the monument recreate the heroic feats of Portuguese explorers who traveled around the world and braved the winds and waves. On the concrete ground of the square, skilled craftsmen have created a massive world map that clearly marks the dates, locations, and routes of Portuguese explorers' voyages, allowing visitors to understand the history of Portuguese navigation at a glance. The Henry the Navigator Monument is a stone-carved large sailing ship (Henry made significant contributions to Portuguese navigation in the 15th century), with a statue of Henry standing at the bow, surrounded by statues of captains, geographers, mathematicians, and carpenters who assisted him. Pombal Square was built to commemorate the Marquis of Pombal's immense contribution to the reconstruction of Lisbon, and a statue of the Marquis stands in the center of the square.
Lisbon is the country's transportation hub and Portugal's largest port. The port area extends for 14 kilometers, handling 60% of the country's import and export cargo. Transportation within Lisbon primarily consists of buses and the subway. The subway, which began operation in 1959, has 20 stations and an annual passenger volume of 132 million. Additionally, there are funiculars and elevators that operate on the city's hills.
Lisbon is an industrially developed city. The south bank of the Tagus River has become an important industrial center for Portugal. Major industries include shipbuilding, cement, steel, plastics, cork, textiles, paper manufacturing, and food processing. Lisbon's shipbuilding industry is world-renowned, capable of constructing various oil tankers ranging from 300,000 to 700,000 tons. It also possesses the largest dry dock in Europe, capable of repairing 1 million-ton supertankers. Its annual ship repair volume accounts for 1/9 of the world's total.
Lisbon's tourism industry has played a significant role in promoting the capital's development into a modern city. The beautiful seaside resorts along the Atlantic coast to the west of Lisbon are famous tourist areas in Portugal, attracting over 1 million tourists from all over the world each year. Lisbon has become the largest tourist city in Portugal.
Lisbon is the cultural center of Portugal. The prestigious University of Lisbon, founded in 1911, offers disciplines including science, literature, law, pharmacy, medicine, psychology, and education. Lisbon also hosts the Higher Technical Institute, the Conservatory of Music, and the Academy of Fine Arts. The National Library of Lisbon, established in 1796, is the library with the richest collection in the country. Lisbon has many museums. The National Coach Museum houses various royal carriages from the 16th to the mid-19th centuries, such as four-wheeled carriages, royal palanquins, carriage-style coaches, and two-wheeled light carriages. The Carmo Convent, built in the 14th century, has now been converted into an archaeological museum. The Museum of Folk Art displays modern and ancient decorative and folk arts. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon is the largest cultural center in Portugal and one of the largest in Europe. Dedicated to promoting the development of education, culture, arts, science, and charity, it has an endowment of over $400 million, making it one of the largest foundations in the world. The foundation is located in Gulbenkian Park; its headquarters are connected to the museum, featuring an art exhibition gallery 60 meters long and 17 meters wide, as well as a hall with 1,300 seats. The hall has excellent acoustics and can host symphonies, ballets, plays, films, and conferences, with each seat equipped with simultaneous interpretation equipment for 6 languages. Next to the hall are rehearsal rooms and several small and medium-sized conference rooms. The museum displays over 3,000 artifacts from the East and West. Beside the museum is a library with a collection of 100,000 books. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has played a vital role in promoting the development of Portuguese culture and education and strengthening international cultural exchange.
The annual Lisbon City Festival is a traditional national holiday for the Portuguese people. On the night of the festival, the whole city is decorated with lights and lanterns, shining brightly. On this day, grand parades are held in various districts. In the processions, people wear colorful traditional national costumes and carry paper lanterns painted with famous buildings and interesting scenes from the lives of the citizens.