The 1818 Society Urban and Water Thematic Group (TG) invites you to a Webex presentation on Lisbon Earthquake 1755. This presentation is a continuation of our Urban & Water Group’s “Talk Shop” series. Please note that the concept and content of this session were developed before the tragic earthquake currenly affecting Turkey and Syria. These latest events make this presentation even more relevant.
Speaker: Dr Paulo Almeida Fernandes
Dr. Paulo Almeida Fernandes holds a PhD in Art History from the University of Coimbra and a Master in Art, Heritage and Restoration from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Lisbon, institution where he graduated in Art History. He is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the University Nova of Lisbon, Member of the Institute of History of Art (University Nova of Lisbon) and a collaborator at the Institute of Medieval Studies (Universidade Nova de Lisboa). He is also head of research at the Museum of Lisbon.
Discussant: Dr Mila Freire
Dr. Mila Freire is an international consultant on urban economics, public finance and sustainability. While at the World Bank, she held several positions including Senior Advisor of the Sustainable Development Network and Manager of the Latin American urban program. She holds a PhD in Economics from University of California, Berkeley and teaches urban economics at the SAIS, John Hopkins University. Mila is Portuguese. Earlier in her career, she taught at the New University of Lisbon and was a Board member of CGD, the largest bank in Portugal.
Synopsis:
Lisbon Earthquake in 1755 was one of the deadliest earthquakes in Europe ever recorded. A result of tectonic plate movement in mid Atlantic, the 8.5 Richter scale earthquake impacted most of Portugal, Morocco and even Brazil. The greatest impact was felt in Lisbon, one of the busiest centers of trade and finance in Europe at that time. The quake together with two tsunamis and the ensuing fire destroyed most the capital, killed about 40,000 people and destroyed palaces, houses, libraries and art works. The event changed the country and the city as well as views about fate, science, and urban planning. The earthquake of 1755 led to one of the largest urban renovations in capital cities. Lisbon’s narrow streets and unsafe buildings gave place to a modern city, designed to minimize damages from future earthquakes while promoting aesthetic values and public health.
Most of the historical accounts focus on the destruction details. Less known is the role that science and research knowledge played in preparing and choosing preventive systems. Lisbon’s earthquake is part of the culture and imagination of any Portuguese citizen regardless of age or taste. The new city is still there continuing to be admired and protected. The presentation will cover the following points:
- Events of November 1, 1755 and their immediate aftermath
- Political and administrative response to the event: short, medium and long-term policy
- Role of Marques de Pombal, prime minister and visionary of the reconstruction effort
- Lisbon, before the earthquake: Urban settings, economic structure
- Reconstruction: city planning and architecture, engineering, financing.
- Identifying the signs of the earthquake destruction in today’s Lisbon
- The future: What have we learned from the Lisbon’s experience and other similar occurrences? How is Lisbon preparing to mitigate future risk? The role of museums, interactive reality, social media in keeping history alive.
Moderator: The meeting will be facilitated by Catherine Farvacque-Vitkovic Coordinating Committee Member of the Urban & Water TG. In this capacity, she will introduce the speakers and lead the question-and-answer session following the presentation.
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