Lisbon Pavements
It all begins with an idea.
Step into Lisbon and you walk on pavements steeped in history, culture and tradition.
The pavements and squares of Lisbon are very special… laid by hand, block by block, always catching your eye and grabbing your attention. The paving is made up of small flat blocks of black and white basalt or Limestone and many paths and squares incorporate mosaic designs. The tradition of paving has been deemed so important that back in 1986 a paving school was set up by the Lisbon Council in order to preserve the tradition.
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Book Your Lisbon Tour With Viator ⭐
The highly skilled pavers are called calceteiros and the paths which they create are called calçada. Each stone you walk on in Lisbon has been meticulously hand crafted by chipping away at these small blocks to create what are normally ordinary spaces into wonderful works of art.
It’s believed that the first such pavement was laid at Castelo São Jorge in 1842 and although the path is no longer evident, it inspired an incredible tradition which today is still enjoyed by millions of locals and travelers alike. The designs vary and you’ll see waves, ships, mermaids, crabs and even pedestrian crossings to name but a very few. One of the best examples can be seen at Rossio Square where waves lap over an area of almost 6,000 square metres.
Adjacent to Rossio Train Station (to the right) is a tribute to the calceteiros. The design you see here is that of the ship which is on the flag of Lisbon.
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Book Your Lisbon Tour With Viator ⭐
Be careful when walking around Lisbon as these small flat stones can be slippy, especially when wet. However please don’t complain, as the pavements have been in Lisbon for almost 180 years and are part of the fabric of Lisbon society and something to treasure.
