Alfama

Alfama - a district of Lisbon, named by the Moors as Alhama which means springs or hot bath. An atmospheric area filled with mystery; shady streets built and woven into a web of white washed houses with red tiled roofs. A kaleidoscope of flowers, red, purple white, and the wailing sound of Fado. An interesting but yet dangerous place to visit is what I was told many, many years ago on my first trip to Lisbon. I was instructed not to go to the streets ...
...wanted to know why the Alfama had this reputation so I took no notice of any warning and made this Arab quarter the first port of call. To be honest to this day I have no idea why it had this reputation - my guess, it was because it was the Arab quarter and when I was a young traveller these places were out of bounds. Ridiculous as it may sound but it is true.

Having lived in Portugal and visited Lisbon many times in a working capacity ... more

Alfama - a district of Lisbon, named by the Moors as Alhama which means springs or hot bath. An atmospheric area filled with mystery; shady streets built and woven into a web of white washed houses with red tiled roofs. A kaleidoscope of flowers, red, purple white, and the wailing sound of Fado. An interesting but yet dangerous place to visit is what I was told many, many years ago on my first trip to Lisbon. I was instructed not to go to the streets of the Alfama on my own and never to reveal any signs of wealth because this area was a den of iniquity. Being inquisitive and rebellious, I wanted to know why the Alfama had this reputation so I took no notice of any warning and made this Arab quarter the first port of call. To be honest to this day I have no idea why it had this reputation - my guess, it was because it was the Arab quarter and when I was a young traveller these places were out of bounds. Ridiculous as it may sound but it is true.

Having lived in Portugal and visited Lisbon many times in a working capacity and as a visitor the Alfama has always been one of my favourite haunts mainly because I love the alleyways which wind their way anarchically around the slopes at the foot of the citadel hill. Climbing the steep hill you are immediately led into another world and because of its steepness the traffic is kept at bay and the smell of exhaust fumes is replaced with the wonderful aroma of grilling sardines. There are no noisy diesel engines here, instead the twittering of sunflower coloured canaries and the cackle of chickens mingle with the banter of women selling fish and vegetables on the street corners. There are wine bars and cheap restaurants filled with atmosphere which I find hard to resist.

For readers who aren't sure where the Alfama is situated. It is to the east of the Baixa (lower part of the city) in the city of Lisbon or Lisboa which is the Portuguese pronunciation. It is the oldest quarter of Lisbon and stands at the foot of Castle Hill. The houses here survived the great earthquake of 1755 due to the fact that they were built on rock. This part of the town was inhabited by Romans and ruins of a Roman theatre have been unearthed and can be found on the corner of Rua Sao Marmede and Rua da Saudade. It later became an Arab area and in the 15th century Jews also resided here but were removed in the 16th century.

The main thoroughfare of the Alfama is Rua de Sao Pedro. From the western end by the Largo Sao Rafael, you can cut through a small street into the Largo do Terreiro do Trigo. This is an interesting area as it is where the old grain warehouses are and the oldest public fountain called the Chafariz d'el Rei (The King's Fountain). The use of the various water sources used to be strictly regulated according to social class. A decree in 1551 stated precisely when and where mulattos, convicts, Indians, black slaves, white women and girls, galley slaves and soldiers could draw water. The city's corn was stored in the huge Celeiro do Trigo warehouses which are opposite the fountain.

I always find that the best way to see the Alfama is to walk. You may get lost a few times but that is part of the fun. Apart from the medieval alleyways, wrought iron balconies and rows and rows of flapping laundry there is something else that makes this area quite special and that is the tram system. To see the yellow smiley mechanical faces of the trams as they traverse up the hilly neighbourhood of the Alfama is a treat. The famous 23 tram passes the fountain and the warehoses on its way out of town to the Santa Apolonia station and then on to the Madre de Deus museum. Returning to the city centre, it passes along Rua dios Bacalheiros and the 16th century Casa dos Bicos. This is a wonderful building built in the Renaissance style which was popular at the time. Originally it was built on four floors with a most extravagant 'diamond' facade. The two top floors were destroyed in the earthquake and for many years the bottom floors were used by fishermen to store the daily catch. The whole building has now been restored and houses exhibitions on the lower floor while the upper floors are sadly used as offices. Many people will say well that's progress. I am pleased that the building has been restored but I think it could be used in a more artistic and constructive way but then this is a criticism I have always had of Portugal. I have always thought that the Portuguese people are all for progress rather than making the most out of their fascinating heritage.

To visit upper Alfama you may prefer to use the No 28 tram as the walk can get very tiring. This tram runs between Rua da Conceicao in the Baixa and Graca area.

The first tram stop is Lisbon's medieval cathedral, the Se. This word comes from the Latin, sedes episcopalis which means Bishop's Seat. It is built on a slope over the site of a mosque and served as a monument to the Christian victory over the Moors. It was badly damaged in the earthquake and then rebuilt. It is still an impressive testimony to the church builders who worked during the early years of the Portuguese monarchy. The tall, dark main nave is predominantly Romanesque while the round walkway encircling the altar is in simple gothic style. Apart from the 18th century nativity crib in the first chapel on the left of the entrance and a number of Gothic tombstones in the circular chapels, there is little of special note, although the Gothic arch and the wrought iron screen in the crossing are worth looking at which I think is Romanesque.

There is a small church that lies beneathe the Cathedral. It is dedicated to St Antonius of Padua and is known as the church of Santo Antonio Da Se. He became known locally as St Anthony of Lisbon and apparently was born nearby and has since become the city's favourite saint. On 13 June every year a grand festival is held in his honour.

The next stop on the the route is Miradouro de Santa Luzia. Here is a viewing terrace with a shady pergola and brightly tiled benches at the rear of the church of the same name. Views form this point are certainly breathtaking. You can see the patchwork of terracotta tiles that make up the picture of the Alfama's rooftops and you can also see across to the River Tagus. Sadly only a few relics of the miradouro remain.

* Miradouro (viewing point)

The Travessa de Santa Luzia oposite leads up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge (The Castle of St. George). The castle and its predecessors have always guarded the mouth of the river, but the ruins that were restored during the Salazar regime show few details of the Alcacova, once the King's residence and the scene of great celebrations after Vasco da Gama's voyage to India. It is, none the less, the finest miradouro in the capital with views over the whole city and the river. From the entrance of the castle you can see the inner city but then if you look further across the River Tagus you can see my favourite view which is the Monumento Cristo Rei which is on the opposite bank of the river. At night this monumet is lit up and once I flew out of Lisbon to the Algarve in a small plane and this view and other views of the ocean and visions of nearby Belem which can be seen from the castle really did take my breath away.

Just around the corner lies the petty Largo das Portal do Sol with an array of pavement cafes. Its name is derived from a gate in the Moorish city wall. The view from here over the roofs of the Alfama, the river and the white church dome matches the view from the miradouro.

The next stop on the tram route is the church of Sao Vicente de Fora which was once situated on the outisde of the city walls. This is a severe looking building with a dominant twin tower facade in Spanish/Italian style. Dating from the Spanish occupation, it was built on the orders of Philip II and consecrated in 1629. The cloisters in the adjoining monastery are covered with 18th century azulejo frescoes, many of which illustrate La Fontaine's fables. The graves of the Braganca dynasty can also be seen nearby.

To the east of the church lies Campo de Santa Clara with some fine patrician houses, a 19th century market hall and the Feira da Ladra, Lisbon's oldest but in my opinion, not the most interesting flea market (Tuesday mornings and Saturdays). Beneath the square rises the huge white dome of the Santa Engracia Church. Work started 500 years ago, but it wasn't completed until 1966. Obras de Santos Engracia is an expression used to describe something that takes an eternity to complete - which is not unusual in Portugal. Salazar demanded that the building be completed in honour of Portuguese national heroes. Inside apses beneath the vast dome stand six empty tombstones, engraved simply with the names of the great men.

The tram continues its journey up Rua Voz do Operario (named after a 100 year old working men's club) north of Sao Vicente into the working class quarter of Graca. Of particular interest here are some vilas, workers' flats built at the turn of the 20th century. They are grouped around pretty courtyards and equipped with internal staircases. The district has two miradourous and they offer superb views across the city. One is in the cafe terrace in front of the Graca church and the other stands on the hill by the small chapel. The return tram journey will take you back to the Baixa area and to the castle.

Fado
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On any visit to the Alfama it is worth visiting a fado restaurant. Fado is a nostalgic music, a popular art with a long and mysterious history. Authentic fado has its roots in Lisbon. Once associated with working class neighbourhoods it is now of mixed appeal, with tourists often a primary commercial target. The fadist - a powerful-voiced singer, is usually backed by guitarras - a twelve stringed Portuguese version, and violas. The Portuguese say that it takes more than a good voice to become a fadista - it takes soul as well. I adore fado music and have seen many artistes in Lisbon and other parts of Portugal. The music never ceases to move me and I have just been listening to Madredeus who are a Fado group who I have seeen on several occasions. I can only listen to the tracks for a short while because I get so emotional and always end up in tears. I will leave a link at the bottom of this article so you can check out the singing.

Fado houses usually serve dinner (Portuguese Cuisine) but is optional. The price of entrance can be quite high and drink prices are generally high also. Singing usually starts around 10pm. It is probably best to reserve in advance and two fado houses I recommend are Adega Machado or Adega Mesquita. Prices per person start from around 35 euros.

Summary
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Lisbon , the city of seven hills, as it is often called, is a beautiful city. I always find easy to navigate by foot or by tram although most of the time the traffic can be very hectic and you do need to have your wits about you. There are hundreds of things to see and do in Lisbon and for me to write a review of the city would take more than 3,000 words so I have chosen to write a review and a small guide to the Alfama district. The streets are very steep and the walking and climbing can be tiring especially in mid summer but your efforts will be rewarded as I don't think there is anywhere finer than this old Arab quarter with its white, half dilapdated houses adorned with flowerboxes spilling over with red and pink geraniums, scruffy dogs lazing around in the middle of the streets as if they had been shot, birds squawking, children playing and Portuguese women cooking freshly caught fish on small stoves outside their front doors. There is no need to be in awe of this area as I was told a century ago. It is a wonderful atmospheric place with some of the most astounding views in Europe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH6jgxfWO2Y

Link of Madredeus - Fado

 

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