Alfama

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View of Alfama from the Miradouro de Santa Luzia

Alfama ( [aɫ'fɐmɐ] ) is a neighborhood and a former Freguesia in the Portuguese capital Lisbon between the Castelo de São Jorge and the Tejoufer . Alfama, which is located in today's freguesias Santa Maria Maior and São Vicente , is particularly known for its numerous sights such as the Panteão Nacional and the Castelo de São Jorge as well as for its numerous restaurants and fado pubs . The name “Alfama” probably comes from the Arabic Al-hamma , which roughly means “springs” or “baths”.

history

At the time of the Moors , Alfama represented the city center of Lisbon, which only gradually expanded westward to form today's “Baixa”. Because the richer strata also followed the trend and moved west to Belém , Algés , Estoril and Cascais , mainly fishermen and poorer strata remained on site. Alfama, which was the red light district of Lisbon at the time , suffered hardly any damage in contrast to the city center during the great Lisbon earthquake in 1755 , so that the narrow labyrinth of streets and alleys has been preserved to the present day.

After the end of the Portuguese dictatorship in 1974 and the large influx of catering establishments, the tourist importance of Alfama grew considerably.

Attractions

Lines 12E and 28E of the Lisbon tram pass through Alfama . The "Museum for Decorative Arts" is located on the left in the picture.

The Castelo de São Jorge towers over Alfama, where the Portuguese king resided until the 16th century. At various points in Alfama there are views of the Tagus and the other parts of the city, they are called Miradouros . The Museu de Artes Decorativas ("Museum of Decorative Arts") is located in a mansion from the 17th century near the Miradouro de Santa Luzia . Alfama die Sé , seat of the Lisbon Patriarchate and Lisbon's oldest church from the 12th century, as well as the Convento da Graça from the 18th century, the extensive monastery of São Vicente de Fora from the late 16th century, are also located in where the kings of the House of Braganza are buried, as well as the Igreja de Santa Engrácia from the 17th century, which today serves as the national pantheon (Panteão Nacional) for the most famous Portuguese.

See also

  • Mouraria , Moorish quarters in Portugal and Spain established in the Middle Ages

Web links

Commons : Alfama  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Matthias Lohre : Das Weltenbeben , PM History # 7/2017, pp. 76–81.

Coordinates: 38 ° 43 ′  N , 9 ° 8 ′  W