Lisbon City Guide: 24 Places to See in Portugal’s Capital

Selected the European Capital of Culture in 1994 and Ibero-American Capital of Culture 2017, Lisbon has been the destiny of tourists from many parts of the world over the past years. With thriving cultural programming, the city hosts important events related to art, music, movies and architecture. The Lisbon Architecture Trienniale and the Open House – event that coordinates free guided tours to remarkable buildings in cities around the world – are some of these relevant events in the architectural field, responsible to disseminate, discuss and reflect on issues of the area.

Besides programs related to architecture, in recent years, Lisbon has seen the emergence of new facilities, like museums, cultural centers and theaters, besides the requalification of public spaces. The construction or regeneration of these structures, directly or indirectly related to the cultural city movement, can be controversial, raising issues such as gentrification and the increase of mass tourism.

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Through this guide, we present 24 projects from modern and contemporary Lisbon architecture that do not replace the relevance of the traditional city tourist attractions, such as Lisbon Cathedral, São Jorge Castle, Santa Justa Elevator or the architectural sets of historic neighborhoods like Alfama, Mouraria and Bairro Alto. The places compiled here are buildings constructed in the last decades and attractive, especially, to architects or architecture students – tourists or Lisbon citizens. Check them out:

MAAT / AL_A
Av. Brasília, 1300-598

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MAAT / AL_A. Image © Francisco Nogueira

Belém Cultural Center / Manuel Salgado and Vittorio Gregotti
Praça do Império, 1449-003

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Belém Cultural Center. © FLAGRANTE / Romullo Fontenelle

Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown / Charles Correa Associates
Av. Brasília, 1400-038

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Champalimaud Center for the Unknown / Charles Correa Associates. © Sebastian Weiss

Expo'98 Portuguese National Pavilion / Álvaro Siza Vieira
Parque das Nações, 1990-231

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Expo'98 Portuguese National Pavilion / Álvaro Siza Vieira. © Dacian Groza

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation / Ruy Jervis d’Athouguia, Pedro Cid and Alberto Pessoa
Av. de Berna, 45A, 1067-001

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Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation / Ruy Jervis d’Athouguia, Pedro Cid e Alberto Pessoa. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation - Art Library Courtesy

Museu dos Coches / MMBB Arquitetos + Paulo Mendes da Rocha + Bak Gordon Arquitectos
Av. da Índia 136, 1300-004

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Museu dos Coches / MMBB Arquitetos + Paulo Mendes da Rocha + Bak Gordon Arquitectos. © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

Lisbon Design and Fashion Museum / Ricardo Carvalho + Joana Vilhena Arquitectos
R. Augusta 24, 1100-053

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Lisbon Design and Fashion Museum / Ricardo Carvalho + Joana Vilhena Arquitectos. © FG + SG – Fernando Guerra, Sergio Guerra

EDP Headquarters / Aires Mateus
Avenida 24 de julho, 121249-300

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EDP Headquarters / Aires Mateus. © Juan Rodriguez

Thalia Theatre / Gonçalo Byrne Architects & Barbas Lopes Architects
Estrada das Laranjeiras 205, 1600-139

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Thalia Theatre / Gonçalo Byrne Architects & Barbas Lopes Architects. © DMF

Cineteatro Capitólio / Luís Cristino da Silva and Rehabilitation from Alberto de Souza Oliveira
Parque Mayer, 1250-096

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Cineteatro Capitólio / Luís Cristino da Silva and rehabilitation from Alberto de Souza Oliveira

Lisbon Subway / Several Authors 

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Olaias Subway Station / Tomás Taveira. © jaime.silva, via Flickr; Creative Commons License

School Of Music In Lisbon / Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos
IPL, Campus de Benfica, 1500-651

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School Of Music In Lisbon / Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos. © FG + SG

Nova University Lisbon Rectory / Aires Mateus
Campus de Campolide, 1099-085

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Nova University Lisbon Rectory / Aires Mateus. © Sebastian Weiss

Gare do Oriente Station / Santiago Calatrava
Av. Dom João II, 1900-233

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Gare do Oriente Station / Santiago Calatrava. © Kent Wang, via Flickr; Creative Commons License

São Lázaro Carpentry / Filipe Borges de Macedo
Rua de São Lázaro, 72

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São Lázaro Carpentry / Filipe Borges de Macedo. © Nuno Almendra

Adaptive Reuse of the Palacete da Quinta do Bom Pastor / Nuno Valentim
Estrada da Buraca, 1500-325

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Adaptive Reuse of the Palacete da Quinta do Bom Pastor / Nuno Valentim. © João Ferrand

Lisbon Cruise Terminal / Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos
R. Rio Tejo, 1100

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Lisbon Cruise Terminal / Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos. © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

Embassy of Egypt / PROMONTORIO
Av. Dom Vasco da Gama, 1400

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Embassy of Egypt / PROMONTORIO. © João Morgado

Franjinhas Building / Nuno Teotónio Pereira e João Braula Reis
Rua Braamcamp 9, 1250-096

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Franjinhas Building / Nuno Teotónio Pereira e João Braula Reis. © Fernando Guerra

Fonte Nova Square / José Adrião Arquitetos
Al. Manuel Ricardo Espírito Santo, 1500-501

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Fonte Nova Square / José Adrião Arquitetos. © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

White Forest in Monsanto / Bruno Camara Arquitectos
Parque Forestal de Monsanto, 1500

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White Forest in Monsanto / Bruno Camara Arquitectos. © José Ventura

Carmo Convent Area / Álvaro Siza
Largo do Carmo, 1200-092

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Carmo Convent Area / Álvaro Siza Vieira. © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

GS1 Portugal / PROMONTORIO
Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 1649-038

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GS1 Portugal / PROMONTORIO. © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

SKIN / P-06 Atelier + JLCG Arquitectos, at the Pavilion of Knowledge
Largo José Mariano Gago nº1, 1990-073

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SKIN / P-06 Atelier + JLCG Arquitectos. © Ricardo Gonçalves

In order to make your search easier, we compiled the 24 projects in the following list: 

  • MAAT / AL_A
  • Belém Cultural Center / Manuel Salgado e Vittorio Gregotti
  • Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown / Charles Correa Associates
  • Expo'98 Portuguese National Pavilion / Álvaro Siza Vieira
  • Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation / Ruy Jervis d’Athouguia, Pedro Cid e Alberto Pessoa
  • Museu dos Coches / MMBB Arquitetos + Paulo Mendes da Rocha + Bak Gordon Arquitectos
  • Lisbon Design and Fashion Museum / Ricardo Carvalho + Joana Vilhena Arquitectos
  • EDP Headquarters / Aires Mateus
  • Thalia Theatre / Gonçalo Byrne Architects & Barbas Lopes Architects
  • Cineteatro Capitólio / Luís Cristino da Silva and rehabilitation from Alberto de Souza Oliveira
  • Lisbon Subway / Vários Autores
  • School Of Music In Lisbon / Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos
  • Nova University Lisbon Rectory / Aires Mateus
  • Gare do Oriente Station / Santiago Calatrava
  • São Lázaro Carpentry / Filipe Borges de Macedo
  • Adaptive Reuse of the Palacete da Quinta do Bom Pastor / Nuno Valentim
  • Lisbon Cruise Terminal / Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos
  • Embassy of Egypt / PROMONTORIO
  • Franjinhas Building / Nuno Teotónio Pereira e João Braula Reis
  • Fonte Nova Square / José Adrião Arquitetos
  • White Forest in Monsanto / Bruno Camara Arquitectos
  • Carmo Convent Area / Álvaro Siza
  • GS1 Portugal / PROMONTORIO
  • SKIN / P-06 Atelier + JLCG Arquitectos

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About this author
Cite: Moreira, Susanna. "Lisbon City Guide: 24 Places to See in Portugal’s Capital" [Guia de arquitetura de Lisboa: 24 lugares para conhecer na capital portuguesa] 13 Apr 2022. ArchDaily. (Trans. Peixoto Almeida, Amanda) Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/928382/lisbon-city-guide-24-places-to-see-in-portugals-capital> ISSN 0719-8884

MAAT / AL_A. © Francisco Nogueira

建筑城市导览 | 里斯本必去建筑合集

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