The palace that vanished
For over two centuries the kings lived in the Ribeira Palace on this spot. The 1755 earthquake, tsunami and fires destroyed it, which is why locals still call the square Terreiro do Paço, the palace yard.
Urban Tales › Lisbon › Praça do Comércio
Praça do Comércio: the history, and the square where a palace stood
Lisbon's grand riverside square stands where the royal palace collapsed in the 1755 earthquake. Here's what you're looking at, and what to listen for when you get there.
Before 1755Ribeira Royal Palace
Rebuilt underMarquis of Pombal
StatueJosé I, 1775
Rua Augusta ArchFinished 1875
Hear the Praça do Comércio story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
1
2
A city rebuilt to a plan
The Marquis of Pombal rebuilt the Baixa as a grid of straight streets, with buildings designed to resist earthquakes, and made this square its gateway from the river.
3
The day a king was killed
On 1 February 1908, King Carlos I and his heir, Prince Luís Filipe, were shot dead as their carriage crossed this square.
TipWalk through the Rua Augusta Arch and take the lift to the top for a view over the square and the river. With Urban Tales running, the square's story plays as you walk in from the riverside.
Nearby landmarks
Praça do Comércio: common questions
Why is Praça do Comércio called Terreiro do Paço?
Because the royal Ribeira Palace stood here until the 1755 earthquake; Terreiro do Paço means palace yard.
Whose statue is in Praça do Comércio?
King José I on horseback, unveiled in 1775, the king who reigned during the 1755 earthquake and the rebuilding.
What happened in Praça do Comércio in 1908?
King Carlos I and Crown Prince Luís Filipe were assassinated here on 1 February 1908.