Decoration Archives

Discovering The Extraordinary Nativity Scene of the Estrela Basilica

December 19, 2018 getLISBON

The Nativity Scene of the Estrela Basilica is one of the most spectacular amongst the many baroque nativity scenes that exist in Lisbon. It was ordered by Queen Maria I to the sculptor Machado de Castro. The complex of the Estrela Basilica and of the Convent of the Nuns of Carmelites is situated in Estrela and is one of the most well-known religious temples of the late 18th century of the city of Lisbon. Queen Maria I promised she would order built a church if she were to get pregnant. Thus, between 1779 and 1790 this monumental building, the first…

Events Christmas Lights in Lisbon

December 12, 2018 getLISBON

Bright and colourful, with classic or surprising shapes, the Christmas lights in Lisbon fill the city with magic and joy! https://youtu.be/1qzAwtx9SP0 These luminous ornaments are already a tradition in the main points of the city, from Downtown Lisbon, going along the Avenida da Liberdade until the Marquês de Pombal Square. And of course, in the area of Chiado and of Príncipe Real. Every year more and more spots of the city are decorated and illuminated, just like the Avenidas Novas. The Christmas lights in Lisbon are getting more sophisticated and stunning each time. They’ve been an attraction for the nationals…

Discovering The Museum of Portuguese Decorative Arts

December 5, 2018 getLISBON

Right outside of Alfama neighbourhood, installed in the Azurara Palace, we can find the Museum of Portuguese Decorative Arts (Museu de Artes Decorativas Portuguesas). It’s a fascinating space marked by the relevance of its assets, by its quality and its mission’s importance. It’s a place where the knowledge of the traditional techniques and the attention to detail make us enter a new dimension where time passes slowly. Collection of Ricardo do Espírito Santo e Silva Tapestry “Cortejo com Girafas” (parade with giraffes) of the Tounai Atelier, around 1510 The Museum of Portuguese Decorative Arts was opened to the public in…

Discovering Rare Exemplars of Italian Mosaic in the Streets of Lisbon

November 14, 2018 getLISBON

The rare exemplars of Italian mosaic in the streets of Lisbon can be considered a hidden treasure in plain sight. The mosaics that we’re talking about today date back to late 1800s, beginning of the 1900s. They result from an eclectic revivalist taste characteristic of the romantic movement of this period. Other mosaics of identical quality can probably be appreciated inside mansions, but the ones we’ve found in public spaces are the ones we want to reveal to you. Brief Approach to Artistic Mosaics Mosaics are decorative coatings of movable and fixed surfaces used indoors or outdoors, composed by small…

Discovering Nossa Senhora da Oliveira Church: A Hidden Treasure in Baixa

April 18, 2018 getLISBON

The Nossa Senhora da Oliveira Church is, perhaps, one of the most unknown spaces of Christian cult, even though it is located right in Pombaline Downtown. Inserted, interestingly enough, in a building like many others, its façade is so discreet that we might come across its door daily without ever noticing that there is a church. A simple triangular pediment, surmounted by a cross, enclosing a bronze olive branch, a stone plaque with the engraved name and a small bell tower indicate the existence of a place of cult. The History of the Nossa Senhora da Oliveira Church The history…