One man, two crowns
The statue on the column is Pedro IV, King of Portugal and, as Pedro I, the first Emperor of Brazil, who declared Brazil's independence in 1822.
Urban Tales › Lisbon › Rossio
Rossio: the history, and the king who was also an emperor
Lisbon's main square since the Middle Ages, officially Praça Dom Pedro IV. Here's what you're looking at, and what to listen for when you get there.
Official namePraça Dom Pedro IV
Column1870
Fountains2, bronze
Pavementwave pattern, 1840s
Hear the Rossio 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
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Markets, festivals and executions
For centuries the square hosted markets, festivals and bullfights, and in darker times the public executions of the Inquisition.
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The wave under your feet
The black-and-white wave pavement, laid in the 1840s, was one of the first big designs in Portuguese stone pavement, the calçada portuguesa.
TipHave a ginjinha, the cherry liqueur, at one of the tiny bars on the corner of Largo de São Domingos, a few steps away. With Urban Tales running, the square's story plays as you walk in.
Nearby landmarks
Rossio: common questions
Why is Rossio called Praça Dom Pedro IV?
That's its official name, after Pedro IV, whose statue tops the column; everyone still calls it Rossio.
Who was Dom Pedro IV?
King of Portugal and, as Pedro I, the first Emperor of Brazil, who declared Brazilian independence in 1822.
What is the wave pattern in Rossio?
Portuguese stone pavement (calçada portuguesa) laid in the 1840s, imitating the sea.