The geography of Lisbon
Lisbon is located on the north bank of the Tagus River, just before the latter arrives to the Atlantic. In this place, the estuary is so calm, and an immense natural harbor is established, which is possibly the important reason for the foundation of the city of Lisbon and its greatness. It is situated at about a third of Portugal from the south.
Lisbon is built on seven hills. It is so inclined that elevators and cable cars have been specially designed for vertical movements. A potential geological attribute of the city, relative to tectonic activity, is its position. The seismic agitations are due to the relative shaking of the Eurasian and African tectonic plates: the African plate pushes north-west against southern Iberia.
The agglomeration of south-west Iberia is affected by this seismic activity, but the boundary between these plates is not well defined, and the epicenter of the great earthquake in Lisbon is still uncertain.
It is among others the capital of Portugal. Lisbon is also the largest city in the country. The main seat of the district of the region, this Portuguese city is located further west of major European and continental cities. The village is also located on the west coast of Portugal where the Tagus flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
The city of Lisbon has an area of 84.4 km2. The famous Monsanto Park is the one that covers most of the west of the city. It is one of the largest urban parks in Europe with a total area of almost 10 km2. Lisbon benefits from a Mediterranean climate strongly favored by the Gulf Stream, which gives to the Portuguese resort one of the mildest weather in Europe.
The historic center of the city consists of seven hills, including Sao Jorge, Estrela, Santa Catarina, Sao Pedro de Alcantra, Graça, Senhora do Monte and Penha de França. The latter are formed with slopes with steeply inclined streets to allow traffic.
Because of its rugged terrain, Lisbon is in possession of a famous elevator that was inaugurated in 1902. Its western part of the city is invaded by the large forest park of Monsanto occupying a close area of 10 km2. The boundaries of the Lisboa municipality correspond to the perimeter of the ancient city, conversely to what happens in the big cities.
