Our first introduction to the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 came not in Portugal but in Galway, Ireland, which felt its effects (tsunami). We read a sign by the Spanish Arch explaining how it destroyed part of that section of Galway’s city walls.
This catastrophic event shaped Lisbon’s landscape and left an enduring mark on culture and history beyond its borders. The earthquake and fires it sparked on All Saints Day destroyed archives and texts, limiting our knowledge of Early Modern European History. It also ignited debates on theology and optimism between Voltaire and Rousseau, while Kant wrote essays on the geology and physics of the tragedy.
In Lisbon, you can see remnants of this tragic event as well as the resilience the city has shown in the centuries since.
Part of the Carmo Convent ruins in Lisbon.Understanding the 1755 Earthquake
On November 1, 1755, All Saints’ Day, a devastating earthquake struck Lisbon, causing widespread destruction. With an estimated magnitude of 8.5-9.0, the earthquake triggered a tsunami that reached the coasts of Portugal, Spain, and even parts of Ireland. Fires ignited across the city, adding to the devastation.
Experiencing History at Quake Museum
To better understand this historic event, we visited Quake, an immersive museum experience that opened in April 2022. The interactive exhibits allowed us to relive the earthquake’s chaos, offering a glimpse of the fear and confusion Lisbon’s residents must have felt. One particularly moving exhibit placed us in a church pew as the earthquake struck, an eerie reminder that the disaster occurred on All Saints’ Day when churches were filled with people and lit candles.
Carmo Convent: A Haunting Reminder
A model of Carmo Convent before the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.The haunting ruins of Carmo Convent stand as a poignant reminder of the earthquake’s destruction. On All Saints’ Day in 1755, worshippers filled the church, and countless candles illuminated the interior. When the earthquake struck, the structure partially collapsed, killing many inside. Today, the convent’s skeletal remains serve as a memorial to those lost.
A four-minute walk away, Igreja de São Roque stands, mostly unscathed.
Igreja de São Roque: Don’t Judge a Church by Its Exterior
Walking past Igreja de São Roque, it’s easy to keep walking. The façade is plain, a hallmark of Jesuit design philosophy, which favors simple exteriors over ornate ones. That restraint makes what’s inside all the more astonishing.
Step through the doors, and you’ll find eight Baroque-style side chapels, each more elaborate than the last. The Chapel of Our Lady of Doctrine, the Chapel of São Roque, and the Chapel of Our Lady of Piety are each breathtaking in their own right, with intricate gilded detailing. The crown jewel is the Chapel of Saint John the Baptist, widely considered the most expensive chapel ever built. Commissioned by King João V of Portugal in the 1740s and constructed in Rome before being shipped piece by piece to Lisbon, it is encrusted with lapis lazuli, agate, alabaster, amethyst, and gold. The central mosaic is so finely crafted that most visitors mistake it for a painting.
Remarkably, Igreja de São Roque was one of the few structures to survive the tremors, fires, and floods of the 1755 earthquake largely intact. Walking through its chapels, you’re seeing something Lisbon’s residents saw before the disaster. That alone makes it a must-visit.
Discovering Lisbon’s Pre-Quake Grandeur at Pimenta Palace
While at Pimenta Palace, you can see the city’s evolution from prehistoric times to the end of the 20th century, including Roman ruins. To get a sense of Lisbon’s splendor before the earthquake, we visited Pimenta Palace. The museum features an intricate model of Lisbon as it appeared before 1755, showcasing the city’s impressive architecture and vibrant streets. Seeing this detailed reconstruction made it easier to imagine the scale of what was lost.
Arco da Rua Augusta: A Triumphal Gateway to a Rebuilt City
Not every city builds a triumphal arch to commemorate a disaster. Lisbon did. The Arco da Rua Augusta, which frames the entrance to Rua Augusta from the riverfront Praça do Comércio, was constructed specifically to mark the city’s reconstruction after the 1755 earthquake. Work began in the years immediately following the quake, though the arch wasn’t completed until 1875.
For under five euros, you can take an elevator to the top. When we visited, we nearly had it to ourselves.
Taking a selfie from the top.This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products and services we personally use and believe in.
Where to Stay in Lisbon: My Story Hotel Rossio
We stayed at My Story Hotel Rossio, a boutique hotel in a building rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake using new seismic technology developed in its aftermath. It’s located right on Rossio Square. The room we stayed in offered views of the iconic square. Recommended by a fellow traveler, this charming spot blends modern comfort with a connection to the city’s history. The cozy rooms, thoughtful amenities, and prime location made it an ideal base for exploring Lisbon’s earthquake-related landmarks.
Reflecting on Lisbon’s Resilience
The 1755 earthquake didn’t destroy Lisbon. It forced the city to reinvent itself. In the aftermath, the Marquis of Pombal, the king’s chief minister, oversaw one of the most ambitious urban rebuilding projects in European history. Rather than simply reconstruct what had been lost, Pombal imposed a rational grid of wide streets and uniform buildings on the ruined city center, which is now called Pombaline Downtown. The new buildings were designed with a revolutionary internal timber framework, the gaiola pombalina (Pombaline cage), one of the world’s earliest applications of earthquake-resistant construction. The hotel we stayed in was built using this technology.
Walking through Lisbon with this history in mind changes what you see. The orderly streets aren’t just aesthetic choices; they’re a blueprint drawn from catastrophe. The ruins of Carmo Convent and the intact chapels of Igreja de São Roque aren’t simply opposites; together they show the randomness of what survives a disaster and what doesn’t. Pimenta Palace shows you the city that existed before the choice was made for them. Lisbon didn’t just rebuild. It rethought itself, and that rethinking is still visible in every block of the Baixa district today.
Planning a trip to Lisbon? Don’t miss these key experiences:
- Quake Museum for its powerful earthquake simulation
- Carmo Convent for a haunting yet beautiful reminder of Lisbon’s past
- Igreja de São Roque for interiors that survived and astonish
- Pimenta Palace to glimpse Lisbon’s pre-quake grandeur
- Arco da Rua Augusta for sweeping views over Pombal’s rebuilt city
- My Story Hotel Rossio for a memorable stay in the heart of the city
To see what we saw in action, watch our Have You Heard of the Great Lisbon Earthquake? video.
Planning a trip to Portugal? These posts might help:
The Portugal Tips I Give My Friends
What I’d Tell a Friend Visiting Lisbon for the First Time
What To Do in Porto: A First-Timer’s Guide
Prefer to skip the research and have someone build the perfect trip for you? I’m also a luxury travel advisor specializing in Portugal — let’s plan your trip together →
Connect with us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more travel and food inspiration.