It is also advisable to go and see the avenues with their modern monuments. The Ocean Avenue with its red fountain statues, and pavements decorated with sea themes, and the Tagus opposite. You can also take boat trips.
- The Gardens occupy a big part of the Park of Nations, and they evoke the botanical adventure of the 16th century: Diospyros or kakis, bamboo, palm trees, laurisilvas, banana trees, plantations and exotic flowers. The Water Gardens are full of ponds, water games, to represent water, an essential element in the balance of the planet.
After visiting the Expo site, one can take the avenue that goes along the port towards the centre. One crosses a whole industrial park which used to be countryside around Lisbon where the noble people had large properties. The Lisbon port is one of the most important in Europe, docks, quays, stores, harbour stations, cover 20 km. The activity consists mainly of sending heavy goods and containers, but it is also an export port for farm products and a travelers' port. Today Lisbon attracts lots of cruise ships.
If you continue straight ahead, before arriving at the Santa Apolónia station, you will see a building on the the right-hand side: it's the Madre de Deus Convent where you will find the Museu Nacional do Azulejos. This convent was built in the 16th century by order of Queen Leonor and rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake..
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Lisbon Azulejo |
Museu da Agua, interior |
In this museum you will find the whole of the history of the "azulejos" from the 15th century to now. One can also visit the church of the former 18th century convent, which has a great collection of azulejos and gold-covered wood. The Manuelin cloister is also decorated with 16-17th century polychromatic azulejos. And the chapter room is very richly decorated.
A little farther, behind Santa Apolónia station, you find the very interesting Water Museum. It evokes the history of the distribution of water in Lisbon. You can follow its evolution since the Romans through objects and documents. There is also a steam pumping plant with its impressive 19th century machinery. The Agua Mãe and the Aqueduct das Águas Livres are also a part of this museum (they are in other districts of the city). Mãe of Água which was a huge reservoir, is now used for temporary exhibitions but can be also visited. You can visit how water is fed to the Lisbon fountains. The water travels 58 km. There are several arches over the valley of Alcântara, the biggest is 65 m high and 29 m wide.
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