The Lisbon Earthquake and the Destruction of a Capital
A powerful earthquake struck Lisbon on November 1, 1755, while many residents were attending All Saints' Day services.
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The Event
A powerful earthquake struck Lisbon on November 1, 1755, while many residents were attending All Saints' Day services. Buildings collapsed across the Portuguese capital, and people sought safety in open spaces and along the waterfront.
The Wider Story
The earthquake was followed by a tsunami and extensive fires. These were distinct hazards: escaping a damaged building did not necessarily mean escaping danger, especially near the river.
Putting the Event in Perspective
Reconstruction changed the city's streets and building practices.
Reading the Historical Record
The catastrophe also provoked arguments about religion, government and the natural world; later scientific explanations should not be put into the mouths of frightened eyewitnesses.
About the Historical Recreation
The accompanying visual is an illustrative reconstruction: an illustrative eighteenth-century Lisbon waterfront before a dissolve to empty damaged streets, no wave striking people. It is not authentic archival footage, an eyewitness record or additional evidence for the event.
Sources
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