Ajuda

A hermitage dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Ajuda already existed in the 15th century, and the Parish of Ajuda began in 1587. Before 1755, part of this area consisted of fields, orchards and cultivated land. The earthquake profoundly changed Ajuda’s relationship with Lisbon and, decades later, work began on Igreja da Memória in 1760, commemorating the attack on King José I in 1758. Also known as Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Livramento e de São José, it received the remains of the Marquês de Pombal in 1923. The present Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, a neoclassical building from the first half of the 19th century, became the Portuguese royal family’s official residence during the reign of Luís I and remained in continuous use until the end of the monarchy in 1910. Several rooms retain the layout and decoration established in the second half of the 19th century. Its administrative history also shifted: in 1852, the parish became part of the then municipality of Belém; when that municipality was abolished in 1885, it returned to Lisbon. Boundaries changed again with the creation of the parish of São Francisco Xavier in 1959. Between 1940 and 1945, Bairro do Caramão da Ajuda was built as a social housing neighbourhood with a traditional urban layout.

After the 1755 earthquake, the royal family left the lower city and settled at Alto da Ajuda, seeking a place less affected by the disaster and away from flood risk. To house them, the Real Barraca, also known as Paço de Madeira, was built. Its name may suggest something makeshift and cramped, but the reality was considerably more elaborate: it was a palatial complex with rooms for the king, queen and infantes, spaces for staff, reception rooms and a chapel. Its timber structure answered fears of further earthquakes. In other words, a royal barraca was, in practice, a court residence with distinctly unmodest ambitions. The building was ultimately destroyed in full, not by another earthquake, but by fire in 1794.

Palácio Nacional da Ajuda · Jardim Botânico da Ajuda · Tapada da Ajuda · Instituto Superior de Agronomia · Observatório Astronómico de Lisboa · Pavilhão de Exposições da Tapada da Ajuda · Igreja da Memória · Calçada da Ajuda

Compare the monumental scale of Palácio Nacional da Ajuda with the surrounding residential streets. · Picture the contrast between today’s stone palace and the former Real Barraca, built in timber. · Observe the two levels, geometry, fountains and stairways of Jardim Botânico da Ajuda. · Notice the tile-clad buildings along Calçada da Ajuda. · Look for the use of iron and glass in Pavilhão de Exposições da Tapada da Ajuda, characteristic of 19th-century architecture. · Observe how Tapada da Ajuda brings together agricultural land, gardens, woodland and scientific buildings within the city. · Look for the dome of Igreja da Memória and connect its name with the historical event behind it.