The emblematic St. Lázaro’s Garden has a special historical characteristic: it is Porto’s oldest municipal garden.
It all began in 1833, by the official name of Marques de Oliveira Garden, when its construction started. Although not finished, its inauguration took place in 1834, on D. Maria II birthday.
Designed after Porto’s siege, which made liberals and absolutists fight for Portugals destiny, one part of the garden was created by D. Pedro IV with the Porto women, who suffered with the siege, in mind. Its goal was to offer a resting place, where the "damas" (ladies), like they said back in the days, wouldn't be bothered.
Well, swiftly Marques de Oliveira Garden began being known as S. Lázaro Garden, due to the presence of a primitive hospital nearby that treated leper people, which had St. Lazarus as their patron saint.
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| Photo: Monumentos Desaparecidos - Jardim de S. Lázaro |
On this typically romantic garden, like on other parts of the city, it used to occur a periodical fair, up until the second half of the 20th century.
Allied with its age comes the recollection, and due to it we can find some of the oldest vegetation of Porto, like magnolias, camellias, cedars and an iron bandstand. In fact, S. Lázaro Garden is considered, by the newspaper “Público”, to be an “oasis of trees”.
The preservation of the garden over time is justified, in part, by the severe laws to which it was subjected. Beyond the opening hours, it was forbidden to enter on horseback and to bring dogs, to rip out any vegetation or flower: not even touching the plants was allowed!
Beggars, single children, or anyone who did not look good were banned from the place. The penalty for anyone who disregarded these rules would be a heavy fine.
The famous portuguese writer, Camilo Castelo Branco, received in this garden, by D. Pedro II, a regard named Comenda da Ordem da Rosa.
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Photo: Escola de Belas Artes do Porto
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Marques de Oliveira - São Lázaro Garden
Rodrigues de Freitas Avenue
Porto
Schedule: From April to September, from 9 am until 8 pm; from October to March, from 9 am until 7 pm.
Ler em Português
Author: Susana Martinho
Edited by: Pedro Valente Lima
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