Liberdade Square (Porto)
Encyclopedia
Liberdade Square is a square in the city of Porto
, Portugal
. It is located in Santo Ildefonso parish
, in the lower town (Baixa) area. The square is continuous on its north side with the Avenida dos Aliados, an important avenue of the city.
The square has its origins in the beginning of the 18th century. It was in 1718 that a project for the urbanisation of the area begun, which resulted in the creation of new streets and an ample square, known as Praça Nova (New Square). The square was initially limited by the medieval walls of the city and by urban palaces, all of which are now lost.
After 1788, the Order of the Lóios (a Portuguese religious order
) built a convent on the south side of the square that replaced the medieval wall; the imposing Neoclassical
façade of the convent, nowadays known as the Cardosas Palace (Palácio das Cardosas) is the oldest extant building of the square, dominating the south side of the square for over 200 years.
During the 19th century, several factors increased the importance of the square. The municipality moved to a building on the north side of the square after 1819, and towards the end of the century facilities like the D. Luís Bridge (1887) and São Bento Train Station
(1896) were opened nearby. Liberdade Square was a political, economical and social centre for Porto.
In 1866 a monument dedicated to King Peter IV, a monarch closely linked to Porto, was inaugurated in the middle of the square. The monument, by French
sculptor Anatole Calmels, consists of a statue of Peter IV riding a horse and holding the Constitution that he had fought to protect during the Liberal Wars
.
The appearance of the square was much altered after 1916, when the municipality building was demolished and the Avenida dos Aliados, a modern boulevard, was built to the north of the square. The buildings around Liberdade Square and the avenues are occupied by banks, hotels, restaurants and offices. It is an important tourist attraction of the city.
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. It is located in Santo Ildefonso parish
Santo Ildefonso (Porto)
Santo Ildefonso is a Portuguese parish of the municipality of Porto. It is 1.28 km² in area with 10,044 inhabitants as of 2001....
, in the lower town (Baixa) area. The square is continuous on its north side with the Avenida dos Aliados, an important avenue of the city.
The square has its origins in the beginning of the 18th century. It was in 1718 that a project for the urbanisation of the area begun, which resulted in the creation of new streets and an ample square, known as Praça Nova (New Square). The square was initially limited by the medieval walls of the city and by urban palaces, all of which are now lost.
After 1788, the Order of the Lóios (a Portuguese religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
) built a convent on the south side of the square that replaced the medieval wall; the imposing Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
façade of the convent, nowadays known as the Cardosas Palace (Palácio das Cardosas) is the oldest extant building of the square, dominating the south side of the square for over 200 years.
During the 19th century, several factors increased the importance of the square. The municipality moved to a building on the north side of the square after 1819, and towards the end of the century facilities like the D. Luís Bridge (1887) and São Bento Train Station
São Bento Train Station
The São Bento Train Station is located in the city of Porto, in Portugal. Inaugurated in 1916, the historical station is known for its tile panels that depict scenes of the History of Portugal. It is located in the Almeida Garret Square, in the centre of the city...
(1896) were opened nearby. Liberdade Square was a political, economical and social centre for Porto.
In 1866 a monument dedicated to King Peter IV, a monarch closely linked to Porto, was inaugurated in the middle of the square. The monument, by French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
sculptor Anatole Calmels, consists of a statue of Peter IV riding a horse and holding the Constitution that he had fought to protect during the Liberal Wars
Liberal Wars
The Liberal Wars, also known as the Portuguese Civil War, the War of the Two Brothers, or Miguelite War, was a war between progressive constitutionalists and authoritarian absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 1828 to 1834...
.
The appearance of the square was much altered after 1916, when the municipality building was demolished and the Avenida dos Aliados, a modern boulevard, was built to the north of the square. The buildings around Liberdade Square and the avenues are occupied by banks, hotels, restaurants and offices. It is an important tourist attraction of the city.