Lisbon Botanical Garden, Portugal

Lisbon Botanical Garden was founded in 1873, a part of the Lisbon Polytechnic School, intended for scientific research and teaching from the beginning. The place which was chosen for the garden, hill Olivete, already had a long tradition in botanical studies, as the school had previously been the Jesuit College of Cotovia (1609-1759) and the Royal College of Nobles (1761-1837). However, only in 1873, by the initiative of Count of Ficalho, did the current garden start being planted.
When it was inaugurated the garden was considered one of the best in Europe and even for today's standards it displays an impressive collection of sub-tropical vegetation. Located on a hill, it's ideal to accommodate a large diversity of plants, with the cactus and succulent plants, which resist better to the heat and sun, on the top and the plants that need more moisture on the bottom. In Summer there can be a difference of 2ºC between top and bottom. The garden includes between 1300 and 1500 species of plants but the ex-libris are the cycadophytes, plants with a long fossil history which are becoming rare and that, in some cases, would become extinct if it were not for botanical gardens. The garden also includes Chrysophyllum Imperiale, a plant from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, gifted to the garden by king D. Pedro IV (emperor D. Pedro I of Brazil) and in risk of extinction in their natural habitat.
Other points of interest are the Carnivore Plants Greenhouse and the Butterflies Greenhouse, the only one opened to the public in Europe but only in Spring, when the eggs hatch.
The Garden has recently been renovated, but this renovation was mainly aimed at infra-structures, so the Garden still looks a bit run-down. Nevertheless, it's a visit not to be missed by those interested in botany.

 Opening hours: Tue. to Fri. – 10h00 to 17h00; Weekend – 11h00 to 18h00; Closed on Mondays and Holidays.
Entrance fee: €2
How to go: Metro- Rato (yellow line); Bus- 758 e 773.
























Local: Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Lisboa, Rua da Escola Politécnica 54, 1250-096 Lisboa, Portugal

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Archaeological excavations in Lisbon's Cathedral Cloister, Portugal

Image
Archaeological excavations in Lisbon's Cathedral Cloister started in 1990. These excavations have unearthed remnants of human presence since the Iron Age.It's possible to see the remains of a Roman road with shops on both sides. This road would have connected the Roman Theater to the port area. From the Roman period, there's also part of a kitchen and a "cloaca" (sewage system).From later periods there are traces of Visigothic buildings and a very visible part of a Moorish building with red walls, probably related with the Mosque that once stood on the site where Lisbon's cathedral was built. Opening hours : 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ticket (standard) : €2.5 (€4 combined with the Treasury), cash only. Roman road and shops. Roman sewage system close to a Moorish public building. Moorish building.
Read more

The Gates of Mdina, Malta

Image
Mdina walls have three gates: the Mdina Gate, the Greeks Gate and the Gharreqin Gate. The Main Gate, also known as Vilhena gate, was built in 1724, under Grandmaster Antonio Manoel de Vilhena, who in 1722 ordered the renovation and restoration of Mdina. The courtyard behind the main gate was demolished to make way for the Vilhena Palace and a new gate had to be built, a few meters to the left of the old one, which was walled up. The Gate has reliefs of Saint Agatha, Saint Paul and Saint Publius, the three patron saints of Malta. The Greeks Gate is the oldest of the three Gates, dating back to medieval times. It was also renovated in 1724 when an outer portal was built in the baroque style. It is known as the Greeks Gate because a small community of Greeks once lived by the gate. For many years it was the only gate by which the slaves were allowed to enter Mdina. The Gharreqin Gate is the less known and most recent of the three Gates. It was excavated in...
Read more

National Palace and Gardens of Queluz, Portugal

Image
The National Palace of Queluz was built in 1747, in the late Baroque and Rococo styles, by order of the future king Pedro III, married to queen Maria I. It was conceived as a Summer residence, becoming the royal family's favourite place for leisure and entertainment. Following a fire in the National Palace of Ajuda, Queluz became their permanent residence, until 1807, when the royal family had to flee to Brazil to escape the French Invasions. Despite being much smaller, the palace is sometimes dubbed the Portuguese Versailles. In 1908 it became the property of the State. It was extensively restored after a fire destroyed it in 1934. The complex makes a pleasant half day excursion from Lisbon. Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Entrance fee: €10 How to get there: From Lisbon, the easiest way is to take the train, at Oriente, Entrecampos or Rossio, to Queluz or Monte Abraão. It's a 30 min. ride plus a 15 min walk to the palace. Charge your card with €5 for the roun...
Read more

Church of Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal

Image
The church of Santa Maria de Belém originated from the expansion,  ordered by Henry the Navigator in the 15th century,  of a previous hermitage built on the site. The new church was trusted to the Order of Christ- of which Henry the Navigator was the Grand Master- to help the seamen that passed by Belém, as the hermitage had done before. In 1501, by order of King D. Manuel I, the Monastery of the Hieronymites started being built and the small church was totally remodelled in the Manueline and Renaissance styles. It was the king's wish that the church should become a pantheon for the dynasty (Avis-Beja) started by him, and that it continued to help the travellers passing through Belém. Like the Monastery, the church was significantly restored in the 19th century. Inside the church are the tombs of several historical figures: Luís de Camões, one of Portugal's greatest poets who lived in the 16th century, Vasco da Gama, the first navigator to go to In...
Read more