Lisbon goes back down to the depths of the city

While we were writing this, another guided tour of the Lisbon Museum’s Archaeology Open House just sold out.

Yes, it’s that quick! Because there are so many people interested in getting to know the depths of our Lisbon better, this year at 44 very special sites that tell the city’s earliest history.

After the huge success of previous years, the Archaeology Open House will be held again on September 15 and 16, with guided tours that will take you to some of the city’s most hidden places, including four private houses where several archaeological remains have been found that are part of the history of the Portuguese capital.

44 guided tours… free

Compared to last year, when 24 of these sites were visited, the third edition will take you almost twice as far, to 44 sites full of stories, the secret ones that Lisbon still has to tell.

We have already visited some of these exclusive places, namely a private house where what seems to have been the floor of a possible Roman temple from the late 1st/2nd century AD was found.

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You can also visit, as we did, the foundations of the benches of the Roman Theatre, on Rua da Saudade; as well as two 19th century ovens associated with an industrial complex of a former workers’ village, and traces of two palaces, both finds located at the Memmo Alfama Hotel.

The places you can visit (that aren’t sold out yet)

In addition to these sites, you can also visit other hotels, houses and museums where there are various archaeological records of Lisbon, many of them with access only during this event:

1. National Archaeology Museum
   • Observe the wing where the National Archaeology Museum was installed in 1903 and understand the evolution of the monument from the 16th to the 20th century.
2. Doca Seca da Ribeira das Naus
   • Port structures related to ship repair from the contemporary period.
3. Museum of Money
   • Section of the D. Dinis wall and remains of the Royal Palace.
4. Camões parking lot
   • The 17th-century Palace of the Marquis of Marialva, destroyed by the earthquake of 1755.
5. Espaço Chiado
   • Tower of the Fernandina Wall, preserved inside the shopping center.
6. Roman Circus
   • Roman era recreational building, of which no traces are visible today, but which has been identified by archaeological interventions.
7. Torre do jogo da Péla
   • Sidewalk Jogo da Péla, next to Martim Moniz and a section of the Fernandina Wall.

     

8. MUDE – Design Museum
   • Wine glass bottles from the 17th/18th century, which survived the 1755 earthquake, recovered near where they are now on display at MUDE.
9. Napoleon Bottle Shop
   • Among the Douro wines and muscatel, you can see a Roman fish-salting tank, which was part of the city’s industrial belt.
10. Travessa do Almada
    • Four inscriptions on the façade of the building, dating from the 2nd century AD.
11. Chicoração store
    • Ancient stables of a noble building, under the building of the Lisbon Museum – Roman Theater.
12. Largo da Sé/Jardim Augusto Rosa
    • Housing structure from the 17th/18th century.
13. Memmo Alfama Hotel
    • Nineteenth-century ovens; former workers’ village; palace structures.

      

14. Campo das Cebolas parking lot
    • Port structures from the 18th and 19th centuries, still in use today.
15. Pátio da Sra de Murça
    • Section of the Old Fence with reused elements.
16. Norberto de Araújo Street
    • Water reserve structures.
17. Largo das Olarias
    • Pieces from ceramic production kilns from the 16th/17th centuries.
18. Pousada de Alfama (Pestana)
    • Modern arches from a house that predates the 1755 earthquake.

      

Last step: sign up now!

All the guided tours of these sites will be carried out by expert archaeologists, who will take you on a journey back to prehistoric times. All you need to do is register by emailing openhousearqueologia@museudelisboa.pt.

According to the latest information we’ve received, there are very few places left to visit these sites.

Location: various locations in Lisbon
Times: September 15 and 16
Tickets: free, with registration required at openhousearqueologia@museudelisboa.pt

4 caminhadas secretas por Lisboa que nunca mais vais esquecer