Grace's Neighborhood (Bairro da Graça)

​Graça - Lisbon area located on one of the highest hills of the capital, is a stopping point and a must-visit for anyone visiting Lisbon. It is from the Miradouro da Graça that the views are the most beautiful. It is there that hundreds of people from all corners of the world stop to observe the city, the Castle, the Tagus river and, in the background, the Cristo-Rei statue that extends its arms as if to bless those who cross the Tagus and all of Lisbon.

Viewpoint of Graça: the Lisbon castle on the left, the Tagus river and the old city centre in the center

​There, in 1371, the Augustinian friars circulated near that viewpoint among their tasks. It was in that same year that, by order of D. Fernando, king this area came to be within the city walls. At that time, Graça was nothing more than the Convent of Santo Agostinho - which later takes on the name of Convento da Graça, side by side with cultivated fields.

Convento da Graça

That area was not at all the favorite, or "in" to live, however the nobles saw this point as an opportunity to build their sumptuous palaces there. Among the various palaces built there, I highlight Vila Sousa and the Palácio dos Senhores da Trofa.
it was with the terrible earthquake of 1755 that the great migration to Graça began. It was between 1880 and 1910 that workers' villages appeared. Workers' villages were housing projects built by the magnates who lived there or who had their businesses or factories there. These provided housing to their workers upon payment of rent, for example: Vila Berta and Vila Estrela de Ouro. Families came from Lisbon, mostly from outside the city, one of the points of great development and growth was the construction of the Santa Apolónia train station. Now there was a couple, then another that was even part of the family, another and another. It wasn't just a place to live, a roof, it was families that were born and grew up side by side. The children played in the street, there they became men and women and often ended up living in the same neighborhood. It was the union. The friendship. The affective bonds that were created, and extended through life. This is where the neighborhood spirit emerges. It was the time of "I'm going to ask the neighbor for a glass of rice". For many, that time is over, the new generations ask for everything by message to online platforms. There is little human contact. The neighbors no longer know each other, they no longer ask for "glasses of rice" to finish dinner.

Vila Sousa

Vila Estrela de Ouro

​We are old school here and we still live the "neighborhood spirit" born in these places. We still order the "glass of rice", "two onions" or "eggs" from the neighbor, with the promise to return the next time we come from the supermarket. We still knock on the door when we don't see that older neighbor. We still ask about the neighbor's health. We still play ball with the son and the neighbors' children in the outside patio.
Now, I'm just going to ask the neighbor for 2 onions that I forgot to buy and I take the opportunity to ask her how her baby granddaughter is doing...

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