Where Lisbon Began

You are walking on ground that holds 3,000 years of history. The Phoenicians arrived here around 1200 BC and founded a settlement they called Alis Ubbo, meaning "safe harbor." They chose this spot for its natural advantage—the Tagus River mouth offered perfect shelter for merchant ships traveling between the Mediterranean and northern Europe.

The Romans conquered the settlement in 205 BC during the Second Punic War and renamed it Olisipo. Julius Caesar elevated it to a municipality and gave it the prestigious name Felicitas Julia. Citizens here received Roman citizenship, a rare privilege for non-Italians at that time. When the Roman Empire collapsed, waves of invaders followed. The Moors arrived in 714 AD and stayed for over 400 years, developing it into a prominent trading port. Christian crusaders finally recaptured the city in 1147.