Title: General Map of the City of Lisbon, 1785

Description

This detailed map of the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, is the work of cartographer Franc D. Milient. In 1755, Lisbon was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake followed by a tidal wave. The chief minister at that time, Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo (1699-1782), also known as the first Marquis of Pombal, decided to raze what remained of the city center and rebuild it according to contemporary ideas about urban planning. The reconstruction can be seen in this map, which shows the orderly layout of the downtown along a grid. Carvalho e Melo also tested architectural models for their ability to withstand earthquakes and tsunamis. As a result of his policies, the reconstructed buildings in the center of Lisbon can be thought of as the world’s first earthquake-proof buildings.