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Portuguese Railway Company

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The Portuguese Railway Company ( Portuguese : Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses ) was the main railway operator in Portugal . Founded on 11 May 1860 by the Spanish businessman José de Salamanca y Mayol under the name Companhia Real dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (Royal Company of Portuguese Railways), it changed its name after the 5 October 1910 Revolution . In the first half of the 20th century, it underwent a process of expansion, assimilating several private railway companies and the railways that had been under the management of the Portuguese government. However, the effects of the Second World War , and the advance of road and air transport its economic situation deteriorated to such an extent that, after the Carnation revolution , the company had to be nationalised and transformed into a new institution, called Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses [Portuguese Railways].

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100-718: In the middle of the 19th century, the Central Peninsular Railway Company of Portugal , which had been contracted to build a railway link between Lisbon and Spain , was encountering technical and financial difficulties, which was delaying the project considerably; the English businessman Samuel Morton Peto , who was managing the works, was commissioned to form a new company to replace the Central Peninsular Railway Company of Portugal, but without success, and his contract

200-470: A multiple-unit form, with one driver controlling all engines. However, it has previously been the practice for a railcar to tow a carriage or second, unpowered railcar. It is possible for several railcars to run together, each with its own driver (as practised on the former County Donegal Railway ). The reason for this was to keep costs down, since small railcars were not always fitted with multiple-unit control. There are also articulated railcars , in which

300-531: A body by American Car and Foundry , a Jacobs-Schupert boiler and a Ganz power truck in 1911. Numbered M-104, the experiment was a failure, and was not repeated. In 1904 the Automotor Journal reported that one railway after another had been realising that motor coaches could be used to handle light traffic on their less important lines. The North-Eastern railways had been experimenting “for some time” in this direction, and Wolseley provided them with

400-400: A deep impression on its collective psyche. Voltaire wrote a long poem, Poême sur le désastre de Lisbonne , shortly after the quake, and mentioned it in his 1759 novel Candide (indeed, many argue that this critique of optimism was inspired by that earthquake). Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. also mentions it in his 1857 poem, The Deacon's Masterpiece, or The Wonderful One-Hoss Shay . After

500-407: A dual-mode bus that can run on streets with rubber tires and on tracks with retractable train wheels. The term rail bus is also used at times to refer to a road bus that replaces or supplements rail services on low-patronage railway lines or a bus that terminates at a railway station (also called a train bus). This process is sometimes called bustitution . A UK company currently promoting

600-739: A fixed base, instead of running on bogies. Railbuses have been commonly used in such countries as the Czech Republic , France , Germany , Italy , Sweden , and the United Kingdom . A type of railbus known as a Pacer based on the Leyland National bus was still widely used in the United Kingdom until withdrawal in 2021. New Zealand railcars that more closely resembled railbuses were the Leyland diesel railcars and

700-423: A flat-four engine capable of up to 100 bhp (75 kW) for this purpose. The engine drove a main dynamo to power two electric drive motors, and a smaller dynamo to charge accumulators to power the interior lighting and allow electric starting of the engine. The controls for the dynamo allowed the coach to be driven from either end. For further details see 1903 Petrol Electric Autocar . Another early railcar in

800-713: A global city, and it is also home to three companies in the Global 2000 ( EDP Group , Galp Energia and Jerónimo Martins ). Lisbon is one of the major economic centres in Europe , with a growing financial sector, with PSI-20 being part of Euronext , the largest center for debt and funds listings in the world. The Lisbon region has a higher GDP PPP per capita than any other region in Portugal. Its GDP PPP amounts to US$ 179 billion and thus $ 61,713 per capita. When it comes to working and employment conditions, Lisbon has some of

900-424: A high level of "youth emigration" mostly to other European cities of countries as France, UK, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Belgium. The city occupies the 40th place of highest gross earnings in the world and, with almost 21,000 millionaires, is the 11th European city by number of millionaires and the 14th by number of billionaires. Most of the headquarters of multinational corporations in Portugal are located in

1000-486: A major gateway for refugees to the U.S. and a haven for spies. More than 100,000 refugees were able to flee Nazi Germany via Lisbon. During the Estado Novo regime (1926–1974), Lisbon, under the influence of Duarte Pacheco , the minister of works, was expanded at the cost of other districts within the country, resulting in nationalist and monumental projects. New residential and public developments were constructed;

1100-673: A much broader sense and can be used (as an abbreviated form of "railroad car") to refer to any item of hauled rolling-stock, whether passenger coaches or goods wagons (freight cars). Self-powered railcars were once common in North America; see Doodlebug (rail car) . In its simplest form, a "railcar" may also be little more than a motorized railway handcar or draisine . Railcars are economic to run for light passenger loads because of their small size, and in many countries are often used to run passenger services on minor railway lines, such as rural railway lines where passenger traffic

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1200-482: A reduction in expenses, such as track maintenance and labour. On the other hand, new techniques and new means of traction were also studied, such as diesel locomotives and railcars . In 1932, the articles of association were amended and the company became an S.A. During the Second World War , there was a shortage of coal, which again led to a reduction in services. Even so, in 1940, the company started

1300-594: A series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century, most notably the Visigoths . Later it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, Afonso Henriques conquered the city and in 1255, it became Portugal's capital, replacing Coimbra . It has since been the political, economic, and cultural centre of the country. As the political centre of the country, Lisbon hosts the government , National Assembly , Supreme Court of Justice , Armed Forces and residence of

1400-807: A single unit. Passengers may walk between the married pair units without having to open or pass through doors. Unit capacities range from 70 to over 300 seated passengers. The equipment is highly customisable with a wide variety of engine, transmission, coupler systems, and car lengths. Contrary to other parts of the world, in the United States these vehicles generally do not comply with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations and, therefore, can only operate on dedicated rights-of-way with complete separation from other railroad activities. This restriction makes it virtually impossible to operate them on existing rail corridors with conventional passenger rail service. Nevertheless, such vehicles may soon operate in

1500-435: A supposed ancient Phoenician term Alis-Ubbo , meaning "safe harbour" or "pleasant haven". Although modern archaeological excavations show Phoenician presence at this location since 1200   BC, this folk etymology completely lacks any evidence and "is never attested in ancient classical literature". Lisbon's name is commonly abbreviated as "LX" or "Lx", originating in an antiquated spelling of Lisbon as Lixbõa . While

1600-400: A triumphal arch (1873) and a monument to King Joseph I . In the first years of the 19th century, Portugal was invaded by the troops of Napoléon Bonaparte , forcing Queen Maria I and Prince-Regent John (future John VI) to flee temporarily to Brazil. By the time the new King returned to Lisbon, many of the buildings and properties were pillaged, sacked or destroyed by the invaders. During

1700-534: Is located at 38°42′49.75″N 9°8′21.79″W  /  38.7138194°N 9.1393861°W  / 38.7138194; -9.1393861 , situated at the mouth of the Tagus River and is the westernmost capital of a mainland European country. The river delta is inverted . The westernmost part of Lisbon is occupied by the Monsanto Forest Park , a 10 km (4 sq mi) urban park, one of

1800-525: Is one of the oldest cities in the world and the second-oldest European capital city (after Athens ), predating other modern European capitals by centuries. Settled by pre-Celtic tribes and later founded and civilized by the Phoenicians, Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia , adding the term to the name Olissipo . After the fall of the Roman Empire , it was ruled by

1900-599: Is sparse, and where the use of a longer train would not be cost effective . A famous example of this in the United States was the Galloping Goose railcars of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad , whose introduction allowed the discontinuance of steam passenger service on the line and prolonged its life considerably. Railcars have also been employed on premier services. In New Zealand , although railcars were primarily used on regional services,

2000-640: Is still visible in the Alfama district, an old quarter of Lisbon that survived the 1755 Lisbon earthquake : many place-names are derived from Arabic and the Alfama (the oldest existing district of Lisbon) was derived from the Arabic " al-hamma " . For a brief time, Lisbon was an independent Muslim kingdom known as the Taifa of Lisbon (1022–1094), before being conquered by the larger Taifa of Badajoz . In 1108 Lisbon

2100-483: Is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach (carriage, car), with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railway companies, such as the Great Western , termed such vehicles " railmotors " (or "rail motors"). Self-propelled passenger vehicles also capable of hauling a train are, in technical rail usage, more usually called " rail motor coaches " or "motor cars" (not to be confused with

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2200-465: The 10 most populous urban areas in the European Union . It represents approximately 27.83% of the country's population. Lisbon is recognised as an alpha-level global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, fashion, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education, and tourism. Lisbon is amongst the two Portuguese cities (the other being Porto ) to be recognised as

2300-629: The Avenida da Liberdade , as the city grew farther from the Tagus. Lisbon was the site of the regicide of Carlos I of Portugal in 1908, an event which culminated two years later in the establishment of the First Republic. The city refounded its university in 1911 after centuries of inactivity in Lisbon, incorporating reformed former colleges and other non-university higher education schools of

2400-820: The Blue Streak and Silver Fern railcars were used on the North Island Main Trunk between Wellington and Auckland and offered a higher standard of service than previous carriage trains. In Australia , the Savannahlander operates a tourist service from the coastal town of Cairns to Forsayth , and Traveltrain operates the Gulflander between Normanton and Croydon in the Gulf Country of northern Queensland . William Bridges Adams built steam railcars at Bow, London in

2500-811: The California Western Railroad . While early railcars were propelled by steam and petrol engines, modern railcars are usually propelled by a diesel engine mounted underneath the floor of the coach. Diesel railcars may have mechanical ( fluid coupling and gearbox ), hydraulic ( torque converter ) or electric ( generator and traction motors ) transmission. Electric railcars and mainline electric systems are rare, since electrification normally implies heavy usage where single cars or short trains would not be economic. Exceptions to this rule are or were found for example in Sweden or Switzerland . Some vehicles on tram and interurban systems, like

2600-582: The Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro do Norte de Portugal [Northern Portugal Railway Company], and the Corgo and Sabor line to the Companhia Nacional de Caminhos de Ferro [National Railway Company]. In 1929, the company's growth trend was reversed due to competition from road transport. In the 1930s, there was a decline in transport, initially only for passengers, and then for goods, which forced

2700-535: The English Armada led by Francis Drake , while Queen Elizabeth supported a Portuguese pretender in Antonio, Prior of Crato , but support for Crato was lacking and the expedition was a failure. The Portuguese Restoration War , which began with a coup d'état organised by the nobility and bourgeoisie in Lisbon and executed on 1 December 1640, restored Portuguese independence. The period from 1640 to 1668

2800-460: The Far East and later, Brazil , and acquired great riches by exploiting the trade in spices, slaves, sugar, textiles and other goods. This period saw the rise of the exuberant Manueline style in architecture, which left its mark in many 16th-century monuments (including Lisbon's Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery , which were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites ). A description of Lisbon in

2900-748: The Michelin Gala . On 11 July 2018, the Aga Khan officially chose the Henrique de Mendonça Palace, located on Rua Marquês de Fronteira, as the Divan , or seat, of the global Nizari Muslim Imamate . Lisbon hosted World Youth Day 2023 in August of that year, attracting Catholic youth from the around the world. Pope Francis led several events, with the final mass held in the city's Parque do Tejo having an estimated 1.5 million attendees. Lisbon

3000-645: The NATO summit (19–20 November 2010), a summit meeting that is regarded as a periodic opportunity for Heads of State and Heads of Government of NATO member states to evaluate and provide strategic direction for Alliance activities. The city hosts the Web Summit and is the head office for the Group of Seven Plus (G7+) . In 2018 it hosted the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time as well as

3100-571: The Norte line , completed in 1956. In 1959, the company contracted the Ericsson company for the installation of centralised traffic control on the Vendas Novas line . In 1966, new articles of association were published for the company and electrification between Lisbon and Porto was completed; in 1968, a contract was signed with a consortium of SOMAFEL and Somapre for the total renovation of

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3200-846: The Red Car of the Pacific Electric Railway , can also be seen as railcars. Experiments with battery-electric railcars were conducted from around 1890 in Belgium, France, Germany and Italy. In the US, railcars of the Edison-Beach type, with nickel-iron batteries were used from 1911. In New Zealand, a battery-electric Edison railcar operated from 1926 to 1934. In Ireland, the Drumm Battery Train used nickel-zinc batteries on four 2-car sets between 1932 and 1946 on

3300-581: The Wairarapa railcars that were specially designed to operate over the Rimutaka Incline between Wellington and the Wairarapa region. In Australia , where they were often called Rail Motors, railcars were often used for passenger services on lightly-used lines. In France they are known as autorails . Once very common, their use died out as local lines were closed. However, a new model has been introduced for lesser-used lines. In Canada , after

3400-555: The head of state . It is also the centre of Portuguese diplomacy, with ambassadors from 86 countries residing in the city, as well as representations from Taiwan and Palestine . About 2.96 million people live in the Lisbon metropolitan area , which extends beyond the city's administrative area, making it the third largest metropolitan area in the Iberian Peninsula (after Madrid and Barcelona ) as well as figuring amongst

3500-656: The metropolis . Lisbon is mainland Europe 's westernmost capital city (second overall after Reykjavik ) and the only one along the Atlantic coast, the others (Reykjavik and Dublin ) being on islands. The city lies in the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula , on the northern shore of the River Tagus . The western portion of its metro area, the Portuguese Riviera , hosts the westernmost point of Continental Europe , culminating at Cabo da Roca . Lisbon

3600-488: The urban heat island of the city centre, with Sintra and Setúbal having reached −4 °C (25 °F) and −5.1 °C (23 °F) respectively, both experiencing about 13 days of frost per year on average. The highest temperature ever recorded in Lisbon was 44.0 °C (111.2 °F) on 4 August 2018. Railcars A railcar (not to be confused with a railway car ) is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar"

3700-423: The 14th century, five in the 16th century (including the 1531 earthquake that destroyed 1,500 houses and the 1597 earthquake in which three streets vanished), and three in the 17th century. On 1 November 1755, the city was destroyed by another devastating earthquake , which killed an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Lisbon residents of a population estimated at between 200,000 and 275,000, and destroyed 85 percent of

3800-479: The 16th century was written by Damião de Góis and published in 1554. The succession crisis of 1580, initiated a sixty-year period of dual monarchy in Portugal and Spain under the Spanish Habsburgs . This is referred to as the "Philippine Dominion" ( Domínio Filipino ), since all three Spanish kings during that period were called Philip ( Filipe ). In 1589, Lisbon was the target of an incursion by

3900-498: The 1755 earthquake, the city was rebuilt largely according to the plans of Prime Minister Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo , the 1st Marquis of Pombal ; the lower town began to be known as the Baixa Pombalina ( Pombaline central district ). Instead of rebuilding the medieval town, Pombal decided to demolish what remained after the earthquake and rebuild the city centre in accordance with principles of modern urban design. It

4000-497: The 1840s. Many British railway companies tried steam rail motors but they were not very successful and were often replaced by push-pull trains . Sentinel Waggon Works was one British builder of steam railcars. In Belgium , M. A. Cabany of Mechelen designed steam railcars. His first was built in 1877 and exhibited at a Paris exhibition. This may have been the Exposition Universelle (1878) . The steam boiler

4100-461: The 1990s, many of the districts were renovated and projects in the historic quarters were established to modernise those areas, for instance, architectural and patrimonial buildings were renovated, the northern margin of the Tagus was re-purposed for leisure and residential use, the Vasco da Gama Bridge was constructed and the eastern part of the municipality was re-purposed for Expo '98 to commemorate

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4200-622: The 19th century, the Liberal movement introduced new changes into the urban landscape. The principal areas were in the Baixa and along the Chiado district, where shops, tobacconists shops, cafés, bookstores, clubs and theatres proliferated. The development of industry and commerce determined the growth of the city, seeing the transformation of the Passeio Público , a Pombaline era park, into

4300-564: The 1st millennium BC, mixing with the Pre-Indo-European population, thus giving rise to Celtic-speaking local tribes such as the Cempsi or Sefes . Although the first fortifications on Lisbon's Castelo hill are known to be no older than the 2nd century BC, recent archaeological finds have shown that Iron Age people occupied the site from the 8th to 6th centuries BC. This indigenous settlement maintained commercial relations with

4400-540: The 22nd of the same month, and the company was formally incorporated on 11 May 1860, although the decree making this official was only published on 20 June. On 25 June 1865, the Royal Company acquired the rights to operate the Norte line from José de Salamanca . On 10 November, the public deed was approved, and the section already built, between Lisbon and the Asseca Railway Bridge , passed to

4500-431: The 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama 's sea voyage to India, a voyage that would bring immense riches to Lisbon and cause many of Lisbon's landmarks to be built. In 1988, a fire in the historical district of Chiado saw the destruction of many 18th-century Pombaline style buildings. A series of restoration works has brought the area back to its former self and made it a high-scale shopping district. The Lisbon Agenda

4600-529: The Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses. In 1947, this company began operating all the broad and narrow gauge lines in Portugal, except for the Cascais line , which had been leased to Sociedade Estoril until 1976. However, there was a sharp drop in revenue and in 1950 the company was forced to take out a loan of 50 million escudos . The following year, the single contract came into force, reorganising

4700-455: The Company. In January 1902, one of the locomotives ordered by the company from Fives-Lille to provide fast services had already arrived and was being assembled that month in the workshops in Lisbon . The 1901 report, presented that same month, stated that the company's financial situation was quite favourable, mainly due to the fall in coal prices. After the 5 October 1910 Revolution ,

4800-472: The Emperor; a large necropolis under Praça da Figueira ; a large forum and other buildings such as insulae (multi-storied apartment buildings) in the area between Castle Hill and the historic city core. Many of these ruins were first unearthed during the mid-18th century (when the recent discovery of Pompeii made Roman archaeology fashionable among Europe's upper classes). The city prospered as piracy

4900-464: The Islamic world, primarily Muslim Spain and North Africa . All mosques were either destroyed or altered and converted into churches. As a result of the end of Muslim rule in the mid-12th century, spoken Arabic quickly lost its place in Lisbon, and disappeared altogether. With its central location, Lisbon became the capital city of the new Portuguese territory in 1255. The first Portuguese university

5000-546: The Lisbon area. Lisbon's name may derive from Proto-Celtic or Celtic Olisippo , Lissoppo , or a similar name which other visiting ancient peoples such as the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans adapted accordingly, such as the pre-Roman appellation for the Tagus River, Lisso or Lucio . Classical authors writing in Latin and Greek, including Strabo , Solinus , and Martianus Capella , referred to popular legends that

5100-462: The Phoenicians, which would account for the recent findings of Phoenician pottery and other material objects. Archaeological excavations made near the Castle of São Jorge ( Castelo de São Jorge ) and Lisbon Cathedral indicate a Phoneician presence at this location since 1200 BC, and it can be stated with confidence that a Phoenician trading post stood on a site now the centre of the present city, on

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5200-555: The Royal Company of Portuguese Railways was transformed that year into the Portuguese Railway Company. After the outbreak of World War I in 1914, there was a sharp rise in coal prices, which led the company to reduce services and use firewood to power its locomotives, which caused several problems with the maintenance of rolling stock. That year was also marked by several general strikes by railway workers, with serious acts of sabotage taking place which led to

5300-706: The UK was designed by James Sidney Drewry and made by the Drewry Car Co. in 1906. In 1908 the manufacture was contracted out to the Birmingham Small Arms Company . By the 1930s, railcars were often adapted from truck or automobiles; examples of this include the Buick - and Pierce-Arrow -based Galloping Geese of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad , and the Mack Truck -based "Super Skunk" of

5400-601: The United States as manufacturers such as Siemens , Alstom and ADtranz affirm they may be able to produce FRA-compliant versions of their European equipment. Light regional railcars are used by a number of railroads in Germany, and also in the Netherlands , Denmark , Italy , United States and Spain . Models of new-generation multiple-unit and articulated railcars include: When there are enough passengers to justify it, single-unit powered railcars can be joined in

5500-483: The average sea temperature is around 20 °C (68 °F). Among European capitals, Lisbon ranks among those with the warmest winters and has the mildest winter nights out of any major European city, with a minimum mean of 8.2 °C (46.8 °F) in the coldest month. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Lisbon was −1.2 °C (30 °F) in February 1956; although other locations in its metropolitan area can record lower temperatures, not being as affected by

5600-576: The battery. A new breed of modern lightweight aerodynamically designed diesel or electric regional railcars that can operate as single vehicles or in trains (or, in “multiple units”) are becoming very popular in Europe and Japan, replacing the first-generation railbuses and second-generation DMU railcars, usually running on lesser-used main-line railways and in some cases in exclusive lanes in urban areas. Like many high-end DMUs, these vehicles are made of two or three connected units that are semi-permanently coupled as “married pairs or triplets” and operate as

5700-440: The cessation of their mainline passenger service , BC Rail started operating a pair of railbuses to some settlements not easily accessible otherwise. In Russia , the Mytishchi -based Metrowagonmash firm manufactures the RA-1 railbus, equipped with a Mercedes engine. As of summer 2006, the Gorky Railway planned to start using them on its commuter line between Nizhny Novgorod and Bor . The term railbus also refers to

5800-421: The city (such as the Escola Politécnica – now Faculdade de Ciências ). Today there are two public universities in the city ( University of Lisbon and New University of Lisbon ), a public university institute ( ISCTE - Lisbon University Institute ) and a polytechnic institute (IPL – Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa ). During World War II , Lisbon was one of the very few neutral, open European Atlantic ports,

5900-416: The city of Lisbon was founded by the mythical hero Ulysses ( Odysseus ). Lisbon's name was written Ulyssippo in Latin by the geographer Pomponius Mela , a native of Hispania . It was later referred to as "Olisippo" by Pliny the Elder and by the Greeks as Olissipo (Ὀλισσιπών) or Olissipona (Ὀλισσιπόνα). Another claim repeated in historical literature is that the name of Lisbon could originate from

6000-409: The city's structures. Among several important buildings of the city, the Ribeira Palace and the Hospital Real de Todos os Santos were lost. In coastal areas, such as Peniche , situated about 80 km (50 mi) north of Lisbon, many people were killed by the following tsunami . By 1755, Lisbon was one of the largest cities in Europe; the catastrophic event shocked the whole of Europe and left

6100-408: The closure of the workshops at the Entroncamento in 1922, which had a detrimental effect on motor equipment. On 11 May 1927, it won the tender to lease the operation of the Portuguese government's rail links, which until then had been managed by the operator Caminhos de Ferro do Estado [State Railways], and due to its lack of experience in managing narrow-gauge lines, it sublet the Tâmega line to

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6200-450: The coastal and Harcourt Street railway lines . British Railways used lead–acid batteries in a railcar in 1958 . Between 1955 and 1995 DB railways successfully operated 232 DB Class ETA 150 railcars utilising lead–acid batteries . As with any other battery electric vehicle , the drawback is the limited range (this can be solved using overhead wires to recharge for use in places where there are not wires), weight, and/or expense of

6300-528: The company was nationalised, although in practice this process didn't have much effect, since the company was already almost completely subordinated to the government, giving birth to its successor, Comboios de Portugal , on 15 April 1975. Lisbon Lisbon ( / ˈ l ɪ z b ən / LIZ -bən ; Portuguese : Lisboa [liʒˈβoɐ] ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal , with an estimated population of 567,131 as of 2023 within its administrative limits and 2,961,177 within

6400-412: The diverse population of Muwallads , Arabs , Berbers , Mozarabs , Saqaliba , and Jews to maintain their socio-cultural lifestyles. Mozarabic was the native language spoken by most of the Christian population although Arabic was widely known as spoken by all religious communities. Islam was the official religion practised by the Arabs, Berbers, Saqaliba and Muwallad. The ancient Muslim influence

6500-411: The ends of two adjacent coupled carriages are carried on a single joint bogie (see Jacobs bogie ). A variation of the railcar is the railbus : a very lightweight type of vehicle designed for use specifically on lightly-used railway lines and, as the name suggests, sharing many aspects of their construction with those of a road bus . They usually have a bus, or modified bus, body and four wheels on

6600-442: The expropriation of their property. In 1506, an anti-semitic movement among the Old Christians of Lisbon culminated in a massacre lasting four days in which some 1,000 to 4,000 New Christian men, women and children, converted descendants of Sephardic Jews , are estimated to have been killed. The king was at Évora when these events occurred, but angered when he received the news, he ordered an investigation which resulted in two of

6700-446: The fast “ Flecha de Prata ” service between Lisbon and Porto . In 1945, Law no. 2008 on the coordination of land transport was published, which determined the concentration of all railway operating concessions in a single company; The following year, a deed was signed for the transition of the Portuguese Railways of Beira Alta , Nacional de Caminhos de Ferro and Portuguese Company for the Construction and Operation of Railways into

6800-451: The highest temperature during the day typically ranges from 11 to 19 °C (52 to 66 °F), the lowest temperature at night ranges from 3 to 13 °C (37 to 55 °F) and the average sea temperature is 16 °C (61 °F). In the warmest month – August – the highest temperature during the day typically ranges from 25 to 32 °C (77 to 90 °F), the lowest temperature at night ranges from 14 to 20 °C (57 to 68 °F) and

6900-411: The highly unstable and corrupt Portuguese First Republic . The 6 June 1926 revolution ended the first republic and firmly established the Estado Novo , or the Portuguese Second Republic , as the ruling regime. The Carnation Revolution , which took place on 25 April 1974, ended the right-wing Estado Novo regime and reformed the country to become as it is today, the Portuguese Third Republic . In

7000-447: The hinterland. The city was connected by a broad road to Western Hispania's two other large cities, Bracara Augusta in the province of Tarraconensis (Portuguese Braga ), and Emerita Augusta , the capital of Lusitania . The city was ruled by an oligarchical council dominated by two families, the Julii and the Cassiae, although regional authority was administered by the Roman Governor of Emerita or directly by Emperor Tiberius . Among

7100-429: The instigating friars being excommunicated and burned alive. Most of the Portuguese expeditions of the Age of Discovery set out from Lisbon during the period from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century, including Vasco da Gama 's expedition to India in 1498. The following years of the 16th century began Lisbon's golden era: the city was the European hub of commerce between Africa , India ,

7200-486: The largest in Europe, and occupying 10% of the municipality. The city occupies an area of 100.05 km (39 sq mi), and its city boundaries, unlike those of most major cities, coincide with those of the municipality. The rest of the urbanised area of the Lisbon urban area, known generically as Greater Lisbon ( Portuguese : Grande Lisboa ) includes several administratively defined cities and municipalities, in

7300-637: The last centuries of the Middle Ages, Lisbon expanded substantially and became an important trading post with both Northern European and Mediterranean cities. When the Spaniards expelled the Jews from Spanish territory, many of them fled to Lisbon. Although acknowledging the central importance of the Jews to the city's prosperity, Manuel I decreed in 1497 that all Jews must convert to Christianity, only those who refused being forced to leave, but not before

7400-432: The lowest wages and purchasing power among European capitals. Energy (electricity, gas and fuel), along with supermarkets, housing, and various government taxes, rank among the most expensive, even compared to the richest EU countries. The gap between the highest and lowest wages is, again, the largest inside the "Euro Zone". The lowest wages can offer a value per hour as little as 6-7 euros. Due to these reasons Lisbon has had

7500-539: The majority of Latin speakers lived a large minority of Greek traders and slaves. Olissipo, like most great cities in the Western Empire, was a center for the dissemination of Christianity. Its first attested Bishop was Potamius (c. 356), and there were several martyrs during the period of persecution of the Christians: Verissimus, Maxima, and Julia are the most significant examples. By

7600-537: The management of rail transport and changing the company's statutes. Even so, the company managed to make a number of investments, supported by the First Development Plan (1953-1958), in order to modernise its services; of particular note was the inaugural trip of the fast Foguete service in 1953, and the electrification projects for the Sintra line and the section between Lisbon and Carregado on

7700-453: The motor cars, otherwise known as automobiles, that operate on roads). The term is sometimes also used as an alternative name for the small types of multiple unit which consist of more than one coach. That is the general usage nowadays in Ireland when referring to any diesel multiple unit (DMU), or in some cases electric multiple unit (EMU). In North America the term "railcar" has

7800-538: The need to order an army intervention. After the end of the First World War, operating problems remained due to rising prices, to which the operators responded by issuing surcharges. Coal, in particular, remained scarce and overpriced, so the use of firewood in locomotives continued. On the other hand, social problems also continued, aggravated by new measures such as the introduction of the 8-hour working day, which led to various conflicts and strikes, such as

7900-482: The north bank of the Tagus River. The larger Lisbon metropolitan area includes the Setúbal Peninsula to the south. Lisbon has a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa ) with mild, rainy winters and warm to hot, dry summers. The average annual temperature is 17.4 °C (63.3 °F), 21.3 °C (70.3 °F) during the day and 13.5 °C (56.3 °F) at night. In the coldest month – January –

8000-461: The old spelling has since been completely dropped from usage and goes against modern language standards, the abbreviation is still commonly used. During the Neolithic period, the region was inhabited by Pre-Celtic tribes, who built religious and funerary monuments, megaliths , dolmens and menhirs , which still survive in areas on the periphery of Lisbon. The Indo-European Celts invaded in

8100-606: The pacification of the west, led by Consul Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus . Decimus obtained the alliance of Olissipo (which sent men to fight alongside the Roman Legions against the northwestern Celtic tribes) by integrating it into the empire, as the Municipium Cives Romanorum Felicitas Julia . Local authorities were granted self-rule over a territory that extended 50 km (31 mi); exempt from taxes, its citizens were given

8200-675: The privileges of Roman citizenship, and it was then integrated with the Roman province of Lusitania (whose capital was Emerita Augusta ). Lusitanian raids and rebellions during Roman occupation required the construction of a wall around the settlement. During Augustus ' reign, the Romans also built a great theatre; the Cassian Baths (underneath Rua da Prata ); temples to Jupiter , Diana , Cybele , Tethys and Idea Phrygiae (an uncommon cult from Asia Minor ), in addition to temples to

8300-412: The railbus concept is Parry People Movers . Locomotive power is from the energy stored in a flywheel . The first production vehicles, designated as British Rail Class 139 , have a small onboard LPG motor to bring the flywheel up to speed. In practice, this could be an electric motor that need only connect to the power supply at stopping points. Alternatively, a motor at the stopping points could wind up

8400-848: The region of Lisbon until 585. In 585, the Suebi Kingdom was integrated into the Germanic Visigothic Kingdom of Toledo, which comprised all of the Iberian Peninsula: Lisbon was then called Ulishbona . On 6 August 711, Lisbon was taken by the Muslim forces of the Umayyad Caliphate . These conquerors built many mosques and houses, rebuilt the city wall (known as the Cerca Moura ) and established administrative control, while permitting

8500-810: The sale of the Lusitanian horses renowned in antiquity. According to a persistent legend, the location was named for the Greek mythical king of Ithaca, Ulysses , who founded the city when he sailed westward to the ends of the known world. Following the defeat of Hannibal in 202 BC during the Punic wars , the Romans determined to deprive Carthage of its most valuable possession: Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula). The defeat of Carthaginian forces by Scipio Africanus in Eastern Hispania allowed

8600-458: The southern slope of the Castle hill. The sheltered harbour in the Tagus River estuary was an ideal spot for an Iberian settlement and would have provided a secure harbour for unloading and provisioning trading ships. The Tagus settlement was an important centre of commercial trade with the inland tribes, providing an outlet for the valuable metals, salt and salted-fish they collected, and for

8700-671: The time of the Fall of Rome , Olissipo had become a notable Christian center. Following the disintegration of the Western Roman Empire, there were barbarian invasions; between 409 and 429 the city was occupied successively by Sarmatians , Alans and Vandals . The Germanic Suebi , who established a kingdom in Gallaecia (modern Galicia and northern Portugal), with its capital in Bracara Augusta , also controlled

8800-613: The time, was returned to Christian rule. The reconquest of Portugal and re-establishment of Christianity is one of the most significant events in Lisbon's history, described in the chronicle Expugnatione Lyxbonensi , which describes, among other incidents, how the local bishop was killed by the crusaders and the city's residents prayed to the Virgin Mary as it happened. Some of the Muslim residents converted to Roman Catholicism and most of those who did not convert fled to other parts of

8900-589: The track. In 1973, Decree-Law no. 104/73 was published, authorising the Minister of Communications to establish a new concession contract with the Portuguese Railway Company. The Company's situation changed profoundly after the Carnation Revolution , with several inspections revealing serious labour problems, hidden by the organization, which had to be resolved, with damaging effects on the Company's already unstable financial capacity. This situation

9000-484: The zone of Belém was modified for the 1940 Portuguese Exhibition , while along the periphery new districts appeared to house the growing population. The inauguration of the bridge over the Tagus allowed a rapid connection between both sides of the river. Lisbon was the site of three revolutions in the 20th century. The first, the 5 October 1910 revolution , brought an end to the Portuguese monarchy and established

9100-517: Was a European Union agreement on measures to revitalise the EU economy, signed in Lisbon in March 2000. In October 2007 Lisbon hosted the 2007 EU Summit , where an agreement was reached regarding a new EU governance model. The resulting Treaty of Lisbon was signed on 13 December 2007 and came into force on 1 December 2009. Lisbon has been the site for many international events and programmes. In 1994, Lisbon

9200-459: Was eliminated and technological advances were introduced, consequently Felicitas Julia became a center of trade with the Roman provinces of Britannia (particularly Cornwall ) and the Rhine . Economically strong, Olissipo was known for its garum (a fish sauce highly prized by the elites of the empire and exported in amphorae to Rome), wine, salt, and horse-breeding, while Roman culture permeated

9300-625: Was founded in Lisbon in 1290 by King Denis I ; for many years the Studium Generale ( General Study ) was transferred intermittently to Coimbra , where it was installed permanently in the 16th century as the University of Coimbra . In 1384, the city was besieged by King Juan I of Castille , as a part of the ongoing 1383–1385 Crisis . The result of the siege was a victory for the Portuguese led by Nuno Álvares Pereira . During

9400-453: Was marked by periodic skirmishes between Portugal and Spain, as well as short episodes of more serious warfare until the Treaty of Lisbon was signed in 1668. In the early 18th century, gold from Brazil allowed King John V to sponsor the building of several Baroque churches and theatres in the city. Prior to the 18th century, Lisbon had experienced several significant earthquakes – eight in

9500-687: Was raided and occupied by Norwegian crusaders led by Sigurd I on their way to the Holy Land as part of the Norwegian Crusade and occupied by crusader forces for three years. It was taken by the Moorish Almoravids in 1111. In 1147, as part of Portuguese efforts during the Reconquista , Afonso I of Portugal besieged and reconquered Lisbon with the aid of crusader knights. The city, with around 154,000 residents at

9600-516: Was reconstructed in an open rectangular plan with two great squares: the Praça do Rossio and the Praça do Comércio . The first, the central commercial district, is the traditional gathering place of the city and the location of the older cafés, theatres and restaurants; the second became the city's main access to the River Tagus and point of departure and arrival for seagoing vessels, adorned by

9700-516: Was supplied by the Boussu Works and there was accommodation for First, Second and Third-class passengers and their luggage. There was also a locker for dogs underneath. Fifteen were built and they worked mainly in the Hainaut and Antwerp districts. The Austro-Hungarian Ganz Works built steam trams prior to the First World War. The Santa Fe Railway built a steam powered rail car using

9800-637: Was terminated on 6 June 1859. The government therefore drew up a new contract on 30 July with the Spanish businessman José de Salamanca y Mayol , who formed the Companhia Real dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (Royal Company of Portuguese Railways) to build the rail link between the North Line and the East Line ; the company's articles of association were drawn up on 12 December and approved on

9900-731: Was the European Capital of Culture . On 3 November 2005, Lisbon hosted the MTV European Music Awards . On 7 July 2007, Lisbon held the ceremony of the "New 7 Wonders Of The World" election, in the Luz Stadium , with live transmission for millions of people all over the world. Every two years, Lisbon hosts the Rock in Rio Lisboa Music Festival, one of the largest in the world. Lisbon hosted

10000-528: Was worsened by the oil crisis of 1973 and 1979 , and by the new priorities of the democratic regime, which substantially reduced support for the company, with which it was only possible to carry out some track construction and maintenance work, such as the installation of the railway accesses to the Sines Industrial Complex, and to continue with the programme to replace steam engine equipment, which had begun around 30 years earlier. In 1975,

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