D. Maria II Theatre Opens

Welcome to one of Europe's most dramatic transformations, where art replaced terror on Rossio Square. The grand D. Maria II National Theatre stands on the exact site where the Portuguese Inquisition held its power for over two centuries. The Estaus Palace, built around 1450 as accommodation for visiting nobility, became the Inquisition's headquarters in the 16th century.

Within these walls, religious trials determined the fate of thousands, and sentences were pronounced that changed lives forever. The palace survived the catastrophic 1755 earthquake that destroyed much of the city, only to burn down in a fire in 1836. Romantic writer Almeida Garrett saw an opportunity to replace this symbol of fear with a temple of culture. He convinced the government to build a national theatre here, designed by Italian architect Fortunato Lodi in neoclassical style.

The building opened on 13 April 1846, deliberately chosen to mark Queen Maria II's 27th birthday. The opening was both triumph and disaster. After just one performance, the theatre closed due to terrible acoustics. It took years of renovations before it could reopen successfully. The six imposing Ionic columns at the entrance were salvaged from the ruined Convent of St Francis, another victim of the 1755 earthquake, giving new life to fragments of the city's destroyed past.