Magnitude 9! This is how the 1755 earthquake was considered , the worst natural disaster in Lisbon’s history, followed by several aftershocks, fires and several tsunamis that ended up destroying almost the entire city.
The tragedy happened at around 9.30am on a Saturday morning, when countless people and families were heading to the various churches to celebrate All Saints’ Day.
The devastating earthquake was followed by several tsunamis and, for five days, the city burned almost completely, with fire devouring many buildings in Lisbon.
It is estimated that around 60,000 people diedon this day and the following days, although some reports put the number at between 10,000 and 100,000, with around 85% of the city left in ruins.
Almost” total destruction
As an important seaport, the 1755 earthquake shook the whole of Europe, as Lisbon was one of the oldest and most populated cities in the world.
The earthquake, tsunamis and fires destroyed more than just houses. The Royal Palace, the opera house, the cathedral and libraries containing important maps and journals, as well as magnificent works of art, were left completely unused.
The city’s inhabitants, including King José I and his royal court, ended up retreating to parts of the city that were less affected by this disaster, and ended up living in makeshift tents, always with terror in their eyes at what they had just witnessed, helpless, unable to do anything about it.
Lisbon, city of looters and murderers
Shortly after the tragedy, attempts were made to recover, but here and there, attempts to return to normal were interrupted by thieves and looters, who saw this disaster as an opportunity to return to their former lives as criminals.
The city was now led by thieves and murderers, who looted, robbed and murdered everything in sight.
The return, by the Marquis of Pombal
Marquês de Pombal was the character who gave Lisbon a new face.
Minister to King José I, the Marquis of Pombal was one of the main characters in the reconstruction of Lisbon, having rebuilt the city from the rubble with new and safer buildings.
This ushered in a new era of architecture, the Pombaline architecture, of which you may already be familiar today. Baixa Pombalina.
The new structures implemented by the Marquis of Pombal are still considered to be one of the first anti-seismic constructions in the world: the famous Pombaline cage.