The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-07
LISBON THE ROYAL CITY
THE WISE TRAVELLER WILL ENTER
THEREIN BY THE RIVER ROUTE.
A Picturesque Place with Many Hand
some Buildings and Historic
Misunderstanding Views.


LISBON. Portugal. Dec. 9.-The traveller
whose first impression of the Portuguese
capital is gained from view of its stray
Cling shabby back doors. coming down
through the country by rail, as we did,
makes a tremendous mistake, which moth
ing can rectify but special trip to the
ocean and return by the river route. APP
preached in the orthodox way, from the
Atlantic, nine miles up the Tagus. Lees-bo-
ah. as known to its citizens, ranks third in
beauty of situation among all the cities of
Europe-Naples first. and Constantinople
second. The high, rocky banks of the deep
but narrow channel are lined on both sides
with antiquated forts and lighthouses from
San Brugo and San Julian, at opposite
ends Of the bar across the rivers mouth,
to the mighty tower of Belem, nine miles
above, which. since the fifteenth century,
has stood guard over the royal city. On
either hand are gay resorts and bathing
places-Cacares. Ociras. Abanada-the CO.
ney island, Atlantic City and Point Com
fort of Portugal; royal palaces and villas
of the nobility. surrounded by trees and
gardens; fishermen's hamlets and fashion
able suburbs; and beyond all the cloud
capped granite range of the Cintra noun
tains. On the north bank, nine miles above
the ocean and just where the river broad
ems into magnificent lake, the old city.
whose earliest name was Ulyssippo, said
to have been founded by Ulysses, OF the
Golden Fleece-the Felicitas Julia of the
ancient Romans. the Oshbuna Of the Mos
lens, the Lisbon of to-day-rambles over
more hills than Rome sat upon, rising alb
ruptly from the waters edge in the form
of an amphitheater. Faced by quays and
backed by lofty mountains, it stretches
along stream four or five miles, and stray
giles backward, or rather upward, an equal
distance. scattered among fields and gar
dens in the rear. The lake, or bay, or
estuary, as you may choose to call the
broadening of the river, is crowded with
the ships of all nations among multitude
Of native craft-for Portugal with popu-
lation approximating 100000, has still no
mean commerce, though in the evening Of
her days.
A PICTURESQUE CITY.
How shall one describe the bewildering
variety of churches and converts and
castles-Moorish. Castilian, Italian. Ro-
man, Flemish and mongrel styles of archi-
tecture-the brilliant hues of house-walls,
reds, blues. greens. puppies and yellows, a
riot of color in African mosaic, yet all in
perfect harmony with the spirit Of the
place. There Is the great castle of San
Jorge. on its rocky height in the oldest part
of the old. old city. which still retains its
early Moorish name of Alfama. There is
the immense, many-towered royal abode.
Ajuda, on another hilltop beyond Belem,
intended for the most splendid palace in
Europe, but unfinished for lack of money,
though begun generations ago. Among a
dozen other residences of capricious mon
archs is the Necessidades, an imposing
structure in which the meetings of the
Cortez are held. And then the multitude
of churches-the great gray cathedral on
the green slope of Castle hill; the Church
of Martyrs, erected on the spot where
Alfonso L mounted the city walls and
rescued it from the Moors; the antique
Church do Coracao do Jesus, on the "Iiill
of the STAR" the handsome churches of
Santa Engracia and San Rogue; scores of
massive converts and monasteries that
crown the hills like medieval fortresses,
| as In truth they were in times long past,
and, dominating all, the great square
| triple battlemented sentry tower of Belem.
You landed in front of one of the
largest and handsomest parks In Portugal
| the Praca do Commerce.. which is open
| to the river on the south and surrounded
| on the other three sides by spacious arches.
behind which are government offices and
| the custom house. In the center of the
square stands a fine bronze statue of King
Joao /, and at the middle of the north
side an imposing triumphal arch marks the
beginning Of the city's principal street.
Nearly a century and half ago lin 1859
| Lisbon was benefited by an appalling ca
| lamity-an earthquake that shook down
| two-thirds of the city and buried 60, 600 peo-
| pie beneath the ruins-a blessing in terrible
| guise, like the great confiagration which
resulted in the building of a new Chicago.
| The portion that escaped the earthquake
| remains as in the dawn of history, with
| dark and tortuous alleys, whose overhang-
| ing caves and crumbling balconies almost
| touch overhead; but the reconstructed Sec
ton has wide. straight. well-paved streets,
| lighted by gas and lined with many-storied
buildings. Though the population Of Lis
| bon is little less then 230. 900. every house
seems literally swarming with inmates;
| and you marvel at the size of Portuguese
| families until you learn that each tall
| building is divided into flats for the ac-
| commodation of several families. While
| the patriarchal system prevails, as in
many parts of Europe, the sons and daugh-
| ters of successive generations marrying
and remaining under the paternal roof, the
| Portuguese nabob is rich indeed who
spreads his lares and penates over more
than one suite of apartments on the same
| floor.
| THE PEOPLES ADJUSTMENTS.
| Passing under the triumphal arch and VI
the wide street you come to another hand
some square. the Praco do Dom Pedro pri-
nero. In earlier days the palace of the in
| QUESTION stood here and those gloomy pris.
ons from which hundreds of previously tor
/ tured wretches went forth to their auto-da-
| fes. One side of IL is occupied by the thea.
| ter of Donna Maria II-an immense build
ing, but the smallest of seven in this pleas
| ure-loving capital; which is handsomest
the Italian Opera House, the San Carlo:
| Theater, or that of Donna Amalia, is
matter of fancy. In the foyer of the last
| named splendid theater stands a celebrated
| work OF art, the ceramic master piece o.
Bordallo Pinheiro-a colossal fajence vas.
| named Beethoven" with its beautiful
glazed alegorical relief carvings. One o
| the largest pracas dos torros in the worls