São Bento Garden / French Ladies Garden / Old Lisbon Garden

Category: Nature > Garden

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Prazeres

Location

Jardim São Bento, also known as Jardim das Francesinhas or Jardim Lisboa Antiga, is located in the Prazeres urbanization, in the city of Lisbon. Its location is marked by its proximity to one of the most important buildings in the Portuguese capital, the Assembly of the Republic, which gives the area a certain historical and institutional character.

This green space offers a more serene environment, despite being located in a central area of Lisbon, being easily accessible and a good option for a peaceful break within the city's urban context.

A Past with History

This garden possesses an interesting historical narrative, rooted in the demolition of the old Convento das Francesinhas, which once occupied this very land. After a demolition process that lasted for about two decades, the site witnessed a remarkable transformation in the 1930s.

In 1935, on the occasion of the city's festivities, the Lisbon City Council conceived and built a miniature neighborhood on the land, named "Lisboa Antiga". This peculiar amusement park, which evoked the Lisbon of bygone eras and its nuns, achieved great success among the Lisbon residents of the time.

The Contemporary Garden and Its Essence

Little more than a decade after the inauguration of the miniature neighborhood, in 1949, the space was transformed again, giving way to the garden that can be visited today. This garden stands out for its geometrically inspired layout, which organizes the space harmoniously.

In the center of the garden, the sculpture A Família, a work by the artist Leopoldo de Almeida, takes a prominent role, attracting the gaze of those who stroll by. Although initially inaugurated with few trees, the garden developed, becoming a greener place that invites a moment of leisure and contemplation in the heart of the capital.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt