This city square was just as magnificent in the day as it was lit up at night. It was at this location that the royal palace resided for nearly 400 years before it was destroyed by the earthquake in 1755. Its huge gateway leading into the city is by far the most beautiful and the biggest I have seen in Lisbon. I was talking to a local here, and he said that on New Year's Eve they have a huge celebration at this square and the huge open space is completely crowded with people waiting to celebrate the new year. The statue in the middle of the square is of King Jose I and was made in the 18th century by one of the most famous Portuguese sculptors of the era, Machado de Castro. The square is located right next to the Tejo River, so when royalty or ambassadors would arrive in Portugal they would come to this area. We were there as the sun was going down, so we decided to take a seat on a bench in between the river and the square, and the Mediterranean sunset we were able to witness going down under the horizon of the river and ocean was breathtaking. Hopefully when Camilia comes to visit me we will get to see a sunset like that one too!
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