Pavilhão Atlântico

The Atlantic Pavilion was built for the World-Wide Exhibition of Lisbon 1998. It is a project of the Portuguese architect Regino Cruz associated with an international projectors company: Skidmore, Owing & Merril (Olympic Stadium in Manchester and Berlin, big sporting pavilions in USA like Portland, Philadelphia, Oakland or Minneapolis).

"Atlantic Pavilion shape reminds a spaceship… but its shape is also like a horseshoe crab, a species that appeared 200 millions years ago. A mixture between a marine animal and a spaceship, this shape deserved a structure that supported physically and symbolically its meaning. That’s how it came up the idea of a timbered structure to sustain the roof, resembling the inverted 16th century vessel hull. In a World Exposition that was dedicated to the Oceans and Portuguese Maritime Discoveries, the wood better than the steal or concrete was the ideal raw material."

The Pavilion has capacity for 20.000 persons and was inaugurated on November 10th, 1998 with a Massive Attack concert.
Events such as the MTV Europe Music Awards (2005), the Tennis Masters Cup Lisbon 2000 and concerts of Madonna, Shakira, REM, Eric Clapton, Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Ben Harper and Prince (among others) took place there.

Igreja de Santo Condestável

The Santo Condestável Church, in Campo de Ourique, was dedicated do Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira (1360-1431). When, in search for the Portuguese independence, he won the Battle of Atoleiros against Spain, he was nominated Condestavel (Supreme Chief of the troops). The church was inaugurated 55 years ago (August 14th, 1951) and Almada Negreiros designed the vitrals, one of its attractions.

Basílica da Estrela

Basilica da Estrela’s construction, between 1779 and 1790, was ordered by the Queen D.Maria I (known as The Merciful One) as a fulfillment of a promise. She promised to build a church if she would have a son man to inherit the throne. The child, however, would not live to see it because he would die of variola (smallpox) 2 years before its completion. The top offers one of the best views over Lisbon.