ARCO DA RUA AUGUSTA
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Triumphal arch with an exhibition and accessible by elevator, offering a 360° panorama of the Lusitanian city.
Located in the northern part of the Place du Commerce, this arch stands proudly and opens a view of the Rua Augusta. Its construction was initiated after the 1755 earthquake (by Eugénio dos Santos) and was completed in 1875 (thanks to Veríssimo José da Costa). The triumphal arch has symbolic dimensions in relation to the central equestrian statue of King Dom José and the quay of columns further down the Tagus. The two figures in statues on the edges of the building represent the Tagus and Douro rivers, while in the centre, a royal coat of arms and four figures from Portuguese history (Viriato, the Lusitanian Vercingetórix, General Nuno Alvares Pereira, a bête noire of Castile in the 14th century, Vasco da Gama and the Marquês de Pombal) are enthroned. At the top, three allegorical figures signed by the French sculptor Anatole Calmels complete the work: gloria (glory), génio (genius), valor (value). At the top is an inscription in Latin: VIRTVTIBVS MAIORVM VT SIT OMNIBVS DOCVMENTO.PPD, meaning "The virtues of the elders, to serve as a teaching for all". Since 2013, the viewpoint of the triumphal arch on Rua Augusta has been accessible. It offers a superb 360-degree panorama of the Lusitanian city: Baixa, praça do Comércio (Terreiro do Paço), the Tagus, the castle, the Sé cathedral or the Alfama. Accessible by elevator, then by the narrow staircase of the clock room where you can see an exhibition on the history of this arch.
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