Hall order

EVERY CITY IN PORTUGAL HAS ITS HALL, AND EVERY CITY HALL HAS ITS STORY. SOME HAVE BEEN LOVED AND ADMIRED FROM THE START, OTHERS HAVE CAUSED MUNICIPAL MAYHEM

Words: CAROLYN KAIN

THE POPULATION of Lisbon was divided. Their old City Hall had burned to the ground and its replacement took 15 years to build. The new building offended some, shocked others and titillated a few. The subject of newspaper articles, cartoons and satirical poems for almost a hundred years until the mid 20th century, it was regarded as something of an embarrassment!

Plenty of other more impressive city halls had taken longer to build, such as Porto’s six-storey edifice. The concept was conceived by English architect Barry Parker (1867-1947), and while no one complained of its enormous scale and the 70-metre clock tower, in Lisbon dissatisfaction continued.

Nearby in Sintra, people marvelled and still do at the City

Hall’s extravagant architecture, its massive clock tower, its spires and armillary sphere. Likewise, the City Hall in Póvoa de Varzim was and is a source of civic pride. Built in the 18th century and renovated in the early 20th century it has magnificent azulejos at top floor level, and at street level an arcade consisting of a gallery of seven arches.

Not to be outdone by cities in the north, Tavira’s City Hall has a gallery with a dozen arches overlooking the Praça da República. In sight of the River Gilão and the bandstand, from 1890 onwards this was the main centre of attraction and continues to be so today.

And in Portimão, what was once the Bivar Palace, a mixture of baroque and neo-classical architecture, belonged to a famous politician and is now home to the City Hall.

The Algarve has many other splendid examples mostly located in the old parts of town such as the city halls in

Loulé and Vila Real de Santo António. To date, no one has had reason to complain about any of these City Halls and they are exceedingly well looked after.

Inside Faro’s walled city, the construction of the City Hall lasted for many decades. Later, when the main façade was renovated, the architect was careful not to replicate the mistake that had been made in Lisbon. The pediment that topped Faro’s City Hall was decorated simply with the shield of Portugal.

The Lisbon shock-horror

It was the embellishment of Lisbon’s pediment that had caused so much controversy. Located way above eye level, nine metres above the street, it bears the symbols of the arts, science, trade and industry. They flank the city’s coat of arms that is supported by two figures; a woman representing Liberty and a young man representing Love of the Homeland. He was to become the infamous object and Lisbon’s shameful problem. His sculpted figure was classically presented as a full frontal nude. A crown of laurel leaves encircled his head but there was no fig leaf to hide his private parts.

When the building was inaugurated in September 1882, every father, brother and husband was horrified. Their chaste daughters, sisters and wives were instructed to avert their gaze. How had such an outrageous figure been permitted? The corpulent mayor, José Gregório da Rosa

Araújo, could only stand and blush.

It became a topic for cartoonists to wholeheartedly embrace. Raphael Bordello Pinheiro, best known today for his popular ceramic caricatures, was also the proprietor of several newspapers. He took no time in ridiculing the situation across the pages of A Paródia and Antonio Maria. The mayor came in for special treatment: it was suggested that as a definitive solution he should stand on the pediment in front of the naked lad.

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João de Deus, a respected pedagogue and poet, could not resist publishing some smutty verses alluding to the statue’s genitalia as turnips and tomatoes. He complained that when he cast his vote he didn’t expect to get a naked statue in exchange!

With time the subject faded but at least until the mid-20th century it was still a tradition for ladies crossing the Praça do Município to look at the calçadas rather than the sky!

There are 36 principalities in Portugal and until last year Trofa was the only one without a City Hall. Recently completed, it has been built in what was a grimy industrial centre. It is a futuristic creation with an exterior made of slender black bricks and luminous indoor spaces. It is fabulously imaginative and if you are near Porto it’s worth a trip up north along the A3.

After dwelling on buildings of past centuries, Albufeira’s contemporary City Hall is entitled to a mention. Built in 1997 it is one of very few city halls in Portugal to represent late 20th century architecture.

With a hint of Frank Lloyd Wright and his creation of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Albufeira’s City Hall contains two floors open to the public and dedicated to art.

Breakfast Time

Taken: December 2012, Lisbon

Camera: Nikon D200

“I fell in love with the look of this, a resident from Bairro Alto on a winter’s morning – a portrait of love and care –a scene you see less and less these days, as the old parts of Lisbon become more dedicated to tourist accommodation and are slowly losing their soul”.

Keyword: Yesterday

Ludi (Ludmila) is a French native of Czech heritage. She joined the APG when she moved to the Algarve ten years ago with her English partner. In the past, she has worked as a freelance journalist covering 4x4 car events, and today especially loves photographing the detail of old Portuguese doors