IUPEA - International Urban Planning and Environment Association 

May 31, 2016

Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal, has more than two thousand years of history. Deployed over seven hills, surrounded by wide and scenic estuary of the Tagus River, is in Europe, the westernmost capital and the one on the Atlantic coast.

It was an important city in the times of the Roman Empire and the Arab occupation of the southern Iberian Peninsula. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, following the Portuguese Discoveries (which led the Portuguese navigators to contact with places and people from all continents of the world, pitching for the first time conditions for the globalization of the economy), Lisbon became one of the most important cities of its time.

In 1755, following one of the biggest earthquakes in History (magnitude 8.7; estimated about 100 thousand people dead; fifty-five palaces and over fifty convents and churches were destroyed), the city was largely rebuilt under the hygienists ideals giving way to a new city. In recent decades, with the integration of Portugal in the European Union, Lisbon has developed rapidly from several points of view, from the urban to the economic, social and cultural.

Today, Lisbon is about 600 thousand inhabitants and is home to a metropolitan region with nearly 3 million inhabitants. It is a modern, cosmopolitan city that combines historic heritage of recognized international value (some of it classified by UNESCO) to areas of great architectural modernity (the case of the urban intervention in river front driven by the realization of the world exhibition EXPO 98), as well as a commercial, cultural and tourist offer particularly attractive and competitive (Lisbon has been considered several times one of the best European destinations either in the field of city breaks or cruises; In 2013, Lisbon surpassed the 1.8 million tourists).

The Walking Tour UPE 12, will be focused on the valuable historical city center, covering some of the paths and squares of the nineteenth-century city (that has emerged after the 1755 earthquake), following the medieval castle of Lisbon (an excellence viewpoint to city). The route then will continue towards the popular Alfama district (deployed on the mesh of the old Arab quarter) and the medieval cathedral; ending at Terreiro do Paço square.

(max 50 participants | EUR 20) - LAST SEATS

June 02, 2016

The Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, covers 18 municipalities with a total of about 3 million inhabitants (28% of the Portuguese population), spread over 2922 km2 (3.3% of the territory of the country). This is an area of high scenic and heritage value, as well as of significant economic and social dynamism, and great tourist attraction. Among its attractions, we highlight three sites classified as World Heritage (Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower and Sintra) and five protected areas: two estuaries (Tagus River and Sado River), two mountains, one of volcanic origin (Sintra) and other calcareous (Arrábida), and a fossil cliff (Costa de Caparica).

The acceleration of urbanization, from the early sixties, supported the development of transport (road, rail and fluvial) and gave rise to a mosaic of many urban schemes: historic settlements where planned urban expansion and of illegal urbanization coexist. All this still surrounded by large patches of rurality, forest and nature. Simultaneously, and in particular after the process of decolonization of Portugal, the great metropolis of Lisbon became multiethnic and multicultural, by blending people coming from different parts of the world.

More recently, with the integration of Portugal in the European Union, numerous qualification procedures, rehabilitation and urban renewal were triggered. Some of them, with great lessons of experience, with emphasis on various initiatives for the recovery of sea and river fronts and public space, as well as some physical and social regeneration of historic centers and neighborhoods of illegal origin.

Thus, this visit will sought to give an idea of the differences of urban occupation of the great metropolis of Lisbon as well as from public policy and urban planning processes that have been put into practice.

DRAFT ROUTE:

• Departure from Lisbon

• Stop 1 - Costa da Caparica (Coastal Resilience; Tourism development; Urban policies)

• Stop 2 – Fernão Ferro / Quinta do Conde (Suburbia; Ilegal setlements and Urban governance)

• Stop 3 – Alcochete (Urban/Rural; Environmental issues)

• Stop 4 – Lisbon EXPO 98 /Parque das Nações (Waterfront renewal; Post-modern city; city branding)