Praça do Marquês de Pombal

This large roundabout marks the meeting point of Lisbon's grand nineteenth-century avenue with the older downtown, honouring the statesman who rebuilt the city after the 1755 earthquake. At its centre a tall column supports a bronze figure of the Marquis of Pombal accompanied by a lion, symbolising his power and reforms. The base is carved with allegories of his work in agriculture, education and the rebuilding of the capital. Behind it the green sweep of Eduardo VII Park climbs the hill toward the horizon.