History of Lisbon

First inhabitants of the area of today's Lisbon appeared in about 1200 B.C. Exists the theory, that they were the Phoenicians. The remains of their settlements were found on the southern slope of the mountain, where nowadays is placed the Castle of Saint George.

The first name of today's Lisbon was probably the Allis Ubbo, what mean "Safe Harbour" in Phoenician language. The later names were: the Olissipo or Olissipona.

Lisbon was taken by the Moors after the invasion of the Iberian Peninsula in 8th century, in the year 711. The Moors were the Muslims with the origin in the northern Africa and the Middle East. After taking the Lisbon they built there many mosques and the arabic-style buildings, which preserved until the great earthquake in 1755. Nowaday the remains of the Moorish culture are to see in the Lisbon's district called Cerca Moura.

In 1147 the city was captured by the crusader Afonso I of Portugal, who became the first monarch of Portugal, and since 1255 Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. Soon in Lisbon was founded the first university, and after the Age of Discoveries also the harbour became the important centre of commerce and city development.

On 1 November 1755 took place the extremely strong earthquake, which took over the 60.000 victims and destroyed nearly whole city. Thanks to the Marques de Pombal - the minister of the King Jose I, who was responsible for the reconstruction, the city was totally rebuilt in a very short time.

On April 1974 in Lisbon became the "Carnation Revolution", which brought down the regime introduced by António de Oliveira Salazar. The coup d'état was practically bloodless and victimless, the people were put the carnations into the soldier's barrels of the rifles - that's why it was called the Carnation Revolution.