Praça do Comércio

Praça do Comércio is a vast square beside the Tagus in Lisbon. It faces the river on its southern side and once held the royal Ribeira Palace until the 1755 earthquake destroyed it. The square was rebuilt in the 18th century under the Marquis of Pombal, who planned a grand rectangular plaza open to the water. Two long colonnaded wings form a U-shape, ending in tall towers that echo the old palace’s gatehouse. A triumphal arch at the northern entrance was added in the 19th century, crowned by statues of Portuguese heroes and the Marquis himself. The square’s symmetrical buildings once housed ministries that ran the kingdom’s finances, colonies and trade.

The site has witnessed key moments in Portugal’s history. In 1908 the square was the setting for the assassination of King Carlos I and his heir. The following year the monarchy fell and a republic was proclaimed. The square’s equestrian statue of King José I, raised in 1775, was the first large monument to a monarch in Lisbon. Beneath the paving lies Terreiro do Paço metro station, linking the square to the rest of the city. On Portugal’s national day the square fills with military parades and crowds.

Visitors find a broad open space bordered by yellow ochre buildings with arcades. At the river end a marble staircase once used by royalty leads down to the water. Inside the western tower is a branch of the Museum of Lisbon. The square’s oldest café, Martinho da Arcada, has served coffee since 1782. A grand hotel occupies part of the eastern wing, while ferries and trams leave from the southern and northern sides. The Rua Augusta Arch frames the view north towards the Rossio, completing the perspective of this monumental square.