DESCRIPTION:

 

King Dinis' Wall is a key monument for understanding Lisbon's history.

At the end of the 13th century, Lisbon was an important economic and commercial hub.

To defend citizens and merchandise from sea attacks, King Dinis ordered a city wall to be built along the waterfront.

Was in use for around 75 years and was a key structure for defending citizens and merchandise. The construction of King Ferdinand's Wall led to its progressive dereliction.

In the shadow of King Dinis' Wall, everyday life and the bustle of the kingdom's capital carried on.

Over the centuries, many buildings made use of this structure's strength to support their walls, including the Ribeira Royal Palace built by King Manuel at the time of the Discoveries.

In 1755, the Lisbon Earthquake almost ruined the structure, and it remained buried for over 250 years.

In 2010, the monument saw the light of day again with the archaeological excavations carried out during the renovation of Banco de Portugal's headquarters.

The Interpretation Centre for King Dinis' Wall shows how this defensive structure from the 13th century influenced the development of urban Lisbon thereafter. Different presentation media are used: multimedia content that transports visitors back in time, everyday sounds, medieval music, graphics, 3D animations, written documents, films, skeletal remains and fragments of royal objects.

 

Free access