Avenida da Liberdade
View of Avenida da Liberdade from Marquis of Pombal Square to the Tagus River. | |
Interactive map of Avenida da Liberdade | |
| Length | 1,100 m (3,600 ft) |
|---|---|
| Width | 90 m (300 ft) |
| Construction | |
| Completion | 1886 |
| Demolition/Conversion of the Passeio Público | 1879 |
Avenida da Liberdade (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐveˈniðɐ ðɐ liβɐɾˈðaðɯ]; meaning "Avenue of Liberty") is a boulevard in central Lisbon, Portugal. It was constructed between 1879 and 1886 and designed by the Portuguese engineer Frederico Ressano Garcia. Measuring 90 metres in width, the avenue was modeled after Paris's Champs-Élysées and is a centre for luxury retail establishments.
The avenue was built on the former site of the Passeio Público, an 18th-century park originally designed for the exclusive use of Portuguese nobility. Despite its name (“Public Promenade”), the park was walled and gated until 1821, when King João VI ordered the removal of the walls, opening access to all social classes. Once located on the northern periphery of Lisbon, the park was transformed into a boulevard as the city expanded northward during the 19th century. Avenida da Liberdade today hosts several embassies and diplomatic missions, including those of Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Slovakia.
The Avenida connects Marquis of Pombal Square to Restauradores Square, marking the entrance to Lisbon Baixa neighbourhood.