Facts About Lisbon:
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Lisbon was founded by the Phoenicians in 1200 BC, Making the oldest city in western Europe and the second-oldest European capital city after Athens.
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Lisbon was almost totally destroyed on the 1st November 1755 taking 40 000 lives, anyway it was rebuilt within a few years.
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The Vasco da Gama bridge is the longest bridge in Europe with over 11 miles, located in Lisbon.
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The Tagus is Iberia’s largest river and its estuary at Lisbon, up to 14Km wide, is said to be large enough to contain all the warships in the world.
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Records suggest that Lisbon was the first city in the World to Import Guinness, In 1811.
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During the Neolithic period, the region was inhabited by Pre-Celtic tribes, who built religious and funerary monuments, megaliths, dolmens and menhirs, which still survive in areas on the periphery of Lisbon.
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A 2018 report stated that the city receives an average of 4.5 million tourists per year.
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Lisbon has one of the mildest climates in Europe, with an annual average of 2900-3300 hours of sunshine.
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The raven is the symbol of Lisbon. According to legend, two ravens traveled with the body of São Vicente, the patron of Lisbon. Vicente Zaragoza was buried in the Algarve, near Sagres, since the year 303.
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The largest temporary stage in the world, at an incredible 7,276 square meters, was set up at Lisbon’s Benfica Stadium to host 2007’s Seven Wonders of the World declaration.
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In 2008 and 2016, the city hosted the European Triathlon Championships.
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Lisbon is part of the Union of Luso-Afro-Americo-Asiatic Capital Cities from 28 June 1985, establishing brotherly relations with the following cities: Dili, East Timor; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau; Macau; Luanda, Angola; Panaji (Panjim), India; Maputo, Mozambique; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Praia, Cape Verde; São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe & Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Lisbon’s name may have been derived from Proto-Celtic or Celtic Olisippo, Lissoppo, or a similar name which other visiting peoples like the ancient Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans.
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Lisbon was built on seven hills and is known as Cidade das Sete Colinas – the city of seven hills.
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The Population of Lisbon is 2,942,000, as of 2019. A 0.51% increase from 2018.
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Pasteis de Nata is a Lisbon delicacy. The sweet custard tart is reproduced throughout the city.
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Lisboa was elected the “World’s Leading City Destination and World’s Leading City Break Destination 2018”.
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The city is connected to the far side of the Tagus by two important bridges: The 25 de Abril Bridge & the famous The Vasco da Gama Bridge.
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The Largest Human National Flag was created in 2006 at Lisbon’s national stadium by 18,788 people.
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the Longest Mexican Wave involved 8,453 participants and was organized at the Parque das Nações in Lisbon, on 12 August 2007.
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The city has a total area of 100 square kilometers.
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Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo.
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Ancient authors refer to popular legends that the city of Lisbon was founded by the mythical hero Odysseus on his journey home from Troy.
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Lisbon has two sites listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site: Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery.
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in 1994, Lisbon was the European Capital of Culture and, in 1998, organized the Expo ’98, 1998 Lisbon World Exposition.
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Lisbon is located at 38°42′49.75″N 9°8′21.79″W, situated at the mouth of the Tagus River and is the westernmost capital of a mainland European country.
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A traditional form of public transport in Lisbon is the tram. Introduced in the 19th century, the trams were originally imported from the USA, and called the americanos.
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Lisbon has the largest and most developed mass media sector in Portugal.
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The Lisbon region has a higher GDP PPP per capita than any other region in Portugal.
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The westernmost part of Lisbon is occupied by the Parque Florestal de Monsanto, a 10 km2 urban park, one of the largest in Europe, and occupying 10% of the municipality.
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The Church of Santa Engrácia in Lisbon has entered the Guinness World Records as having the longest construction time of any church. Work began in the 17th century and was only completed in 1966.
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Lisbon’s oceanarium is one of the world’s largest aquariums. It has 8,000 different sea creatures.
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Lisbon has additional cooperation agreements with the following cities: Algiers, Algeria; Asunción, Paraguay; Bangkok, Thailand; Bethlehem, Palestine; Budapest, Hungary; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Curitiba, Brazil; Gdańsk, Poland; Guimarães, Portugal; Haimen, China; Kiev, Ukraine; Madrid, Spain; Malacca City, Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; Miami, United States; Montevideo, Uruguay; Moscow, Russia; Paris, France; Beijing, China; Qingdao, China; Rabat, Morocco; Santa Catarina, Cape Verde; Toronto, Canada; Tunis, Tunisia; Zagreb, Croatia & Sofia, Bulgaria.
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Lisbon is home to Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal, the Portuguese national library, which has over 3 million books and manuscripts.
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The University of Lisbon, which is the largest university in Portugal, was created in 2013 with the union of the Technical University of Lisbon and the Classical University of Lisbon.
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The city hosted the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final.
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The Euronext Lisbon stock exchange, part of the pan-European Euronext system together with the stock exchanges of Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris, is tied with the New York Stock Exchange since 2007, forming the multinational NYSE Euronext group of stock exchanges.
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In May 2018, the city hosted the 63rd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, after the victory of Salvador Sobral with the song “Amar pelos dois” in Kyiv on 13 May 2017.
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The municipality of Lisbon included 53 freguesias until November 2012. A new law reduced the number of freguesias to 24.
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On 1 November 1755, the city was destroyed by another devastating earthquake, which killed an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Lisbon residents.
