Equestrian statue of King José I, Lisbon  Ceramic Tile

This photo is of the equestrian bronze statue of King José I, which was inaugurated in 1775. He was Portugal's 18th-century ruler. This bronze statue, the first monumental statue dedicated to a King in Lisbon, seems dwarfed by the openness and size of the square called Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) or Terreiro do Paço (Palace Square). This is probably the best known of all plazas in Lisbon maybe because it is where the downtown (Baixa) ends and looks out onto the river Tagus (Tejo). It’s the biggest Lisbon square and because it’s so big the statue of King Jose I on horseback looks small. King D. José I reined the country at the time of the big earthquake and tsunami in 1755. This statue is considered one of the most beautiful statues of its kind in all of Europe, in addition to being the oldest public statue in Lisbon and in the country.