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What was the impact of the Great Lisbon Earthquake in 1755?

black and white illustration, boats being tossed around in very rough seas while buildings in the city of Lisbon in the background collapse.

The earthquake was one of Europe's worst natural disasters

by
Adrian Murphy (opens in new window) (Europeana Foundation)

In the morning of 1 November 1755, an earthquake struck Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal, which flattened the city and claimed many thousands of lives.

colour illustration, a panorama of Lisbon from the sea.
black and white engraving, a group of people standing alongside a collapsed building.

The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 8.5 on the Richter scale. It began at around 9:40 in the morning and lasted for several minutes.

black and white engraving, some people stand and walk among damaged buildings.

The earthquake caused widespread destruction throughout Lisbon, with most of the city's buildings being completely destroyed. Many people were killed in the initial earthquake, while others were trapped in the rubble of their collapsed homes.

black and white engraving, a group of people look at a large collapsed and destroyed basilica building.

The earthquake also triggered a massive tsunami that hit the city's harbour, causing further destruction and loss of life.

November 1 was All Saints' Day, with candles lit in homes and churches all around the city. The earthquake caused these to be knocked over, which led to fires breaking out throughout the city.

black and white engraving, a ruin of a building whose walls and roof have collapsed.

As many as 70,000 people - around a quarter of Lisbon's population - died in the earthquake and its aftermath.

The earthquake's violence demolished the city's large public buildings. Almost every important church in the city had been destroyed. The city was left in ruins, and it took many years for it to fully recover from the disaster.

black and white engraving, a number of people standing by the collapsed ruin of a large building.
black and white engraving of people standing nearby a ruined, collapsed church building.

The engravings here reveal the damage to some of Lisbon's historical buildings. These engravings were made in 1757 by Jacques Philippe Le Bas, who was head of Paris's largest engraving workshop in the 18th century.

Effects of the earthquake and tsunami were felt throughout Portugal and in parts of Spain and Morocco. Damage was even reported as far away as Algeria and Ireland, with some waves from the tsunami felt in the Caribbean and Brazil.

silver medal depicting a boat on rough seas with some buildings nearby.

King Joseph I and Portugal's prime minister, the Marquis of Pombal, immediately launched efforts to rebuild the city. It took nearly a year to clear the city of debris.

In keeping with urban planning of the time, the authorities wanted the new city to be perfectly ordered. They commissioned large squares, wide avenues and geometrically planned streets.

black and white illustration, a man stands before ruined building, he hands a sheet of paper to a group of other men.

The 1755 Lisbon earthquake was one of Europe's worst natural disasters which ultimately shaped the city of Lisbon as we know it today.

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