The earthquake that destroyed Lisbon started around 9:30 a.m. on November 1st, 1755. The earth shook violently. Thousands of buildings collapsed mainly in the downtown area and on the hillside to the Chiado. The Palácio Real da Ribeira, the Teatro da Ópera, convents, palaces, schools, hospitals, … Everything collapsed.
In the Tagus, giant waves crashed the boats against the coast and invaded the streets of the downtown area. A fire started in the Restauradores area and, north winds shifted it towards the river. A large part of Lisbon was reduced to ashes. Thousands of people died in a climate of fear.
Sebastião Melo* – he was the Kingdom’s Secretary of State, at the time the key figure in the Portuguese government – immediately took security measures and ordered the city to be cleaned up. He then ordered the design of a new Lisbon, a city of its time, geometric, with identical buildings and new, stable structures.
The square adopted in the reconstruction plans made it possible to design Terreiro do Paço, a majestic square open onto the Tagus estuary. To maintain the maritime tradition, a pier that had disappeared after the earthquake was restored, giving rise to the Cais das Colunas, which offers a beautiful panoramic view of the river and the south bank.
Nowadays, this square hosts major events all year round. One of the most impressive is the fireworks display put on by Lisbon City Council on New Year’s Eve.
Commerce Square is classified as a National Monument.
* later named the Marquis of Pombal.
