The downtown we see today was planned and constructed after the 1755 earthquake. prior to this it was similar to Alfama, a maze of narrow twisting streets. It was rebuilt in what was then considered to be a revolutionary plan of wide stright streets laid out in a grid system. The first pavements, or sidewalks in american english, were laid here, in patterns of black basalt and white limestone that remind us of the colours of Lisbon.All the houses of the downtown are the same, erected in a simple economical design, known as pombaline style, that was imposed by the lack of money. The ground floor was shops, an intermediate floor between the ground and first floors was for offices and the upper floors for residences. All the buildings are topped by attics and sloping tiled roofs. The facades are simple and devoid of any decorative elements, except for the wrought-iron balconies of the first floor.
The streets running from Black Horse square to Rossio were given the name of the tradesmen that worked there, with the exception of the central one which was called Rua Augusta ( Main Street). the oyhers are called Rua Áurea (goldsmith´s), da Prata (Silversmith´s), dos Sapateiros (shoemaker´s), dos correeiros (Saddler´s or Harness-maker´s) and dos Fanqueiros(Draper´s).
The streets that run parallel to the river bear the names of the patron saints of other groups of trades or professions.
In one of the latter streets we can see the Santa Justa Lift (St Justa is the patron saint of potters), the first iros construction erected in Lisbon. It was built at the end of the 19th century by an engineer named Ponsard, who lived in the north of Portugal and was a disciple of the famous French engineer Eiffel.
Is is worth going up in the lift owing to the fine view over the city that may enjoyed from the top. Once at the top, one may visit thr ruins of the Monastery of Carmo, a 14th century Gothic construction that was damaged by the earthquake and never rebuilt.
The Monastery was built by Nuno Álvares pereira, the Constable of the Kingdom of John I and Victor of Battle of Aljubarrota. Today the remains of the monastery house the portugues Archaeological Society and an Archaeological Museum.
