Bairro Alto

Photographer's Note

Rossio is one of the most beautiful squares in Lisbon. People pass here everyday, rushing for work, and hardly take the time to look around. It's not only the beautiful monuments and the fountains, or its fascinating history... Rossio is a living book.

Recently renovated, it hasn't lost any of its mysticism... Feel it around the D. Maria II National Theater, where many plays were, and are, performed and seen by Kings and Queens, around the fountains used at the beginning of October to baptize the freshmen as they were about to enter the University -, around the cafes frequented by famous Portuguese personalities - like Cafe Nicola founded in 1929 - and yes, oh yes, smell it on freshly roasted chestnuts that have been sold in the Rossio Square for many many years.

In the middle of the square there's a statue of Dom Pedro IV and at its foot the four female figures representing Justice, Wisdom, Strength and Moderation, qualities attributed to Dom Pedro himself.

The originally called 'Dom Pedro IV Square', got the name Rossio from the local people and it's still today a traditional meeting point both for Lisboetas and visitors.

One of the city's best-loved landmarks and also known as the "Elevator of Carmo," this extraordinary structure was built at the turn of the century by the French architect Raoul de Mesnier du Ponsard (an apprentice of Gustave Eiffel, explaining the structure's similarities to Paris' Eiffel Tower), to connect downtown to Bairro Alto (the lowest and highest points of the city).

This photo has been taken from the top of the Santa Justa Elevator, which originally powered by steam, it is 45 meters high, and remains an interesting example of post-Eiffel iron architecture. The top of the Neo-Gothic tower, reached via a spiral staircase, has a cafe with splendid views of the city, including over Rossio Square, the castle and the river.

Two things that have impressed me from my recent trip to Portugal, are the amazing sky images and the roofs of the buildings of Lisbon.

ribeiroantonio, calexica, mcenteesalas, portmanndominic, salvator, theofanis, steliosk, azaf1, saylan-cb, syd1946, Hellas, stego, bostankorkulugu, kpav ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

aadilj (18102) 2008-04-13 22:26

Colourful and very lively. I like the freshness and the povin this view. You've also managed a get a lot into the frame. From skies to clouds to people to building. great composition

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2008-04-13 22:45

It is a classical view of Rossio Square but yet a very nice picture. The note is very informative too. Well done.
Antonio

calexica (1247) 2008-04-13 22:54

Καλημέρα Μιχάλη,
Η φωτογραφία σου μοιάζει με πίνακα ζωγραφικής. Πραγματικά εκπληκτική φωτογραφία!!! Εξαιρετικό το κοντράστ μεταξύ του ουρανού και των κτηρίων. Συγχαρητήρια!!!
Σε χαιρετώ,
Νατάσα

hay_kes (31439) 2008-04-13 23:46

Kalimera Michael,
What a superb cityscape.Great POV and perspective.TFS.
Regards,

hAyAti

mikolaj_kawa (0) 2008-04-14 2:12

Hello Michael! Amaizng point of view. Wonderful lightness, excellent colors. Perfect capture. Good work, very good. Saude!

sacavem (18620) 2008-04-14 2:27

Olá Michael,

Beautiful cityscape. Nice point of view. Beautiful perspective and geometry. Very nice colours and lightness.
Good take,
Filipe

portmanndominic (2400) 2008-04-14 6:12

Michael geia sou

une photo bien construite bonne repartition ciel toits , la place est à sa place , de joli couleurs et une note utile
Filikia
Dominic

salvator (19110) 2008-04-14 14:38

Yasu Miachael,
Wonderful light, superb colors. The overcast sky, the glimse of light on the roofs has produced a wonderful effect and you did a good job capturing it.
Se xereto. Salvator.

chrkont (4005) 2008-04-15 1:54

Γεια σου Μιχάλη
Πολύ καλή η μερικώς πανοραμική άποψη της πόλης. Η ατμόσφαιρα πρέπει να ήταν διαυγής και το αξιοποίησες άριστα. Έντονα χρώματα και μεγάλο βάθος πεδίου. Το μοίρασμα του κάδρου σου επιτυχιμένο και οι επιμέρους λεπτομέρειες (πλατεία, σκεπές, ουρανός) έχουν γράψει τέλεια.
TFS - Χαιρετώ
Χρήστος

theofanis (750) 2008-04-15 2:09

geia soy mixali,
wraio POV kai poli wraia xrwmata!Ta synnefa vohthane poli sto na deixnei pio dramatiki h photo soy.Episis eianai poli zwntana ta xrwmata me to keramidi na kyriarxei.
theofanis

steliosk (4802) 2008-04-15 3:01

Geia sou Mixalh
Apsogh diaxeirhsh tou fwtos edw pou den xanetai se kanena shmeio ths lhpshs.
omorfh gwnia lhpshs, poly perigrafikh, apla thn koitas

TFS file mou
Stelios

danos (110407) 2008-04-15 3:36

Μιχάλη καλησπέρα,
πολύ όμορφη και ωραία η θέα αυτή που μας παρουσιάζεις από την Rossio Square στην Λισσαβώνα.Το φως και το χρώμα είναι αρκετά για να αναδείξουν τα σπίτια.Πράγματι τα σχήματα που σχηματίζουν τα σύννεφα είναι εξαιρετικά και σε συνδιασμό με τις σκεπές κάνουν το σκηνικό υπέροχο.Ενημερωτικό και το σημείωμά σου.

azaf1 (15931) 2008-04-15 3:43

Kalimera Michali
Omorfi h Portogalia kai h apopsi afti tis Lisavonas poli elkistiki kai katatopistiki gia ta idaitera xaraktiristika tis. Kathari me omorfa xromata kai polles leptomereies.
Na pernate kala ekei ston vora
Argiris

saylan-cb (12738) 2008-04-15 10:13

Kaliemera Michael
Very nice place!Great colours and good light,compositions,POV is very good.
TFS/Regards

syd1946 (1167) 2008-04-15 13:21

Γεια σου Μιχάλη,
Βλεπωντας την φωτογραφια σου θελω να πεταξω κατευθειαν για Λισαβώνα...κατι που θα ηταν λυτρωτικο για εναν λογιστη που "βγαζει" ολημερις ισολογισμους :)
Εντυπωσιακη μεχρι την τελευταια της λεπτομερεια!

τα λεμε φιλε,
Θωμάς

PaulVDV (62978) 2008-04-15 13:50

Hello Michael,
Interesting POV and good that you didn't place the Rossio square in the centre.
The colours are very beautiful. So is the sky.
Regards, Paul

Hellas (7123) 2008-04-15 23:37

Καλημέρα Μιχάλη,
ξέρεις και εγώ έχω αδυναμία στις πόλεις που μένουν πιστές στις παραδόσεις χωρίς να αρνούνται την εξέλιξη. Γίνεται, αρκεί να έχεις γούστο και λογική. Όμορφη πόλη με ιστορία απ' ότι μας λες. Οι κεραμοσκεπές και η πλακόστρωτη πλατεία δείχνουν εξαιρετικές. Ο ουρανός είναι πραγματικά πολύ όμορφος. Τα χρώματα, μου αρέσουν πολύ καθώς επίσης και η ευκρίνεια της φωτογραφίας σου. Η επιλογή των παραμέτρων (ISO, διάφραγμα, ταχύτητα) έδωσε πολύ καλό αποτέλεσμα.
Γειά σου!

omixlistilimni (3299) 2008-04-16 0:29

Γεια σου Μιχάλη

Εξαιρετική καταγραφή με πολύ καλή λεπτομέρεια και χρώματα!!

Μαρίνα

ifanik (21679) 2008-04-16 7:55

Poly omorfh Mixali me entiposiaka xrwmata se spitia kai oyrano
Prepei na einai poly omorfh polh
Xairetw
Nikos
Ayrio**

stego (24132) 2008-04-16 12:28

Hi Michael,

You took good profit of the advantageous POV and the light to produce an amazing image. I often find quite challenging composing these urbanscapes, because there are so many options, but you did a terrific job with that here. Normally I wouldn't like the strange sharpness used here, but in this case I think it goes very well with the light, producing a very nice effect. No need to mention the colours...

The note is passionate, well written and informative, but I found a couple of less important mistakes:

1- Café Nicola is much older than 1929. It was founded in the 18th century.

2- The official name of the square is Praça D.Pedro IV, Rossio is the original and still most common name.

3- I had never heard of "Elevator of Carmo", although I find that it is a good alternative name for "Santa Justa Elevator", considering that the upper part is in the Carmo convent.

I am glad you liked Lisboa. Next time say something to see if we can meet.

Regards, José.

bostankorkulugu (42866) 2008-04-16 15:30

lisbon looks great from this point of view mixali... the greyish clouds add a lot to its charm for sure... all the best file...

korkut

kpav (5031) 2008-04-19 0:35

Γεια σου Μιχάλη, απίθανη φωτογραφία με εξαιρετικά χρώματα και καταπληκτικό ουρανό.
Πολύ καλό το βάθος και το κάδρο αν και περιέχει πολλά στοιχεία είναι όμορφα ισορροπημένο. Σε χαιρετώ,
Κώστας.

NoFx (78) 2008-04-19 3:03

Fantastic view here. Great sky and city scenario. For me one of the most perfect places to walk in Lisbon :) Keep going

batalay (41261) 2008-04-23 19:24

Hello Dear Michael,

I've enjoyed studying this photograph as much as the note, which is so well thought out. I remember strolling around the square, taking the elevator built by Gustav Eiffel in 1975, then again in 1985, and one more time in 2003. I believe, it was the 1975 visit that had Communist posters and graffiti everywhere, and the fear was that the nation would drift into anarchy. Lisbon is a lovely fascinating city, and the Portuguese are a proud and wonderful people. I am sure you visited the Alfama section, characterized by blue tiles on walls, and steep stairs from the upper to the lower parts of the city, and the acropolis (where the castle is located). Great shot, fabulous note.

Warm regards, Michael,

Bulent