Set atop a slope with a treasured set of terraces known as miradouros, Portugal's capital city is famous as the 'City of Seven Hills'. On the banks of the Tagus River, Lisbon is a capital brimming with modernity amid its ancient architecture, culture and history. The city's architectural identity is defined by the 1755 earthquake that jolted it to its very core. Today, it is made of diverse architectural styles, from Romanesque and Gothic, to Manueline and Modern. Baixa, the city's main vicinity, is especially representative of Lisbon's modern architecture that transformed it into a compact neighborhood, one that thrives in the shadow of the Rua Augusta Arch. In stark contrast, the Bairro Alto, or Upper Quarter, assumes a more urbane shape and is teeming with abundant nightlife and symbols of multiculturalism. A bevy of major historic buildings dominate the neighborhood of Belém, full of seafaring heritage and the site of Lisbon's most iconic landmark, the Belém Tower.
