| It has been called "Chiado" for centuries, but the origin | | | | Walk to the eastern side of Largo do Chiado, which is |
| of the name has long been lost over time. Some | | | | bordered by Rua Serpa Pinto and is the start of the |
| theories say that it comes from the word "chiar" the | | | | Rua Garrett. On the southeastern corner of the |
| screeching sound that was produced by horsecarts | | | | intersection of the Rua Serpa Pinto and the Rua |
| traveling its streets. Another theory claims that the | | | | Garrett is the Igreja dos Martires with its doors fronted |
| name comes from the 16th century poet Antonio | | | | by four black streetlamps |
| Ribeiro, also known as "Chiado", whose statue has | | | | Igreja dos Martires was built in the latter half of the |
| stood in the "Largo do Chiado" since 1925. A third | | | | 18th century after the earthquake of 1755. This church |
| theory dates the name back to 1567. An old document | | | | shares only its name with a far earlier church named |
| from this year shows that a wine-dealer named | | | | "Paroquia dos Martires " This early church was |
| Gaspar Dias, nicknamed "O Chiado", once leased | | | | founded by the first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso |
| houses near present-day Chiado. | | | | Henriques, in 1147 in a different area of the Chiado. |
| On the western portion of the Largo do Chiado are | | | | Afonso Henriques is best known for two things: |
| two churches in Baroque style. With your back | | | | becoming the first king of Portugal and driving the |
| towards the Praca Luis de Camoes and your face | | | | Moors out of Lisbon. He founded the early church |
| towards the center of Largo do Chiado, the Igreja de | | | | Paroquia dos Martires to celebrate his victory over the |
| Nossa Senhora da Encarnacao will be on your right, | | | | Moors.The main door of the church features a |
| and the Igreja do Loreto, which is also known as the | | | | representation of King Afonso Henriques kneeling |
| Italian church, will be on your left hand side. Both | | | | before the Virgin Mary, thanking God for his conquest |
| churches are lovely, especially their interiors, but we will | | | | of Lisbon. |
| focus on Igreja do Loreto to your left. This church is | | | | Afonso Henriques was the type of person who knew |
| recognizable by its double stairway entrance. It was | | | | what he wanted and worked to get it. His mother, |
| founded by Italians who lived in Lisbon during Portugal's | | | | Teresa of Leon, ruled as regent for her son after the |
| Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries. The | | | | death of his father. At the tender age of 11, Afonso |
| church is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, as | | | | Henriques sided with one of his mom's political |
| she is worshiped in Loreto, Italy. Like the cult of Mary | | | | enemies. She did not send him to his room or ground |
| that is worshiped in Guadalupe, Mexico, or Fatima here | | | | him; she exiled him from his lands. This would be one |
| in Portugal, this version of Mary centers around a | | | | punishment that she would regret. Afonso Henriques |
| miracle. The legend is that the miracle took place in the | | | | became a knight at 14, the legal age of adulthood back |
| year 1291, when the last Christian stronghold in the Holy | | | | in medieval times. He raised an army and won back |
| Land fell to Muslim hands. The house where Mary lived | | | | his lands by defeating his mom's army when he was |
| in Nazareth was lifted by angels from its original | | | | 19 years old. Now it was mom's turn to be exiled. |
| location and eventually deposited at Loreto, Italy. | | | | The story of the Chiado neighborhood is not just in the |
| Believers point out that the stones in the remaining | | | | distant past. The neighborhood came close to being |
| masonry are not native to that region of Italy but are in | | | | lost just a few years ago. On the 25th of August 1988, |
| fact found in Palestine. Nonbelievers point out that | | | | a fire started in a store located on Rua do Carmo. |
| empty trade ships often filled their holds with stones to | | | | The fire trucks were unable to travel the pedestrian |
| balance the ship and left them behind when they | | | | street, and the fire soon reached Rua Garrett. The |
| reached their trading port. Another interpretation that | | | | firefighters battled for 15 hours to get the fire under |
| gives a less miraculous explanation for how stones | | | | control. Despite their efforts, two people died and |
| from the house of Mary in the Holy Land came to be | | | | many shops and offices, as well as 18th century |
| in Italy: European crusaders may have taken stones | | | | buildings, were destroyed. The prominent architect |
| from Mary's house before they were ousted by | | | | lvaro Siza Vieira was in charge of the reconstruction |
| Muslims conquerors and carried them back to Europe. | | | | work in order to return the buildings of Chiado to their |
| This church existed here almost 100 years before its | | | | earlier appearance. The reconstruction was done so |
| destruction in the 1755 earthquake and fire. It was | | | | well that you will probably not spot any signs of the fire |
| rebuilt in 1786. Step inside the church to see its nave | | | | and its destruction. |
| with twelve side chapels made of Italian marble. | | | | To learn more about Largo do Chiado, visit Geogad. |