Ajuda Botanical Gardens (Jardim Botânico da Ajuda)

In Ajuda, but just a short walk from Belém. Lisbon’s first botanical garden was commissioned in 1768 by the Marquês de Pombal and was first used to cultivate and propagate hundreds of different species of plants collected from all over the world during the Portuguese discoveries. Following the 1755 earthquake the Marquês de Pombal, who was then Prime Minister, moved the court to Ajuda, where enough palaces remained standing to house all the different ministries. At the time King Dom José I bought a plot of land next to the royal residence in order to grow fruit and vegetables for the palace and it was on this piece of land that Domingos Vandelli designed this botanical garden in the seventeen sixties.

It was intended to serve the education of the king’s grandsons, Princes Dom José and Dom João. The gardens were characterised by perfect symmetry, having been influenced by French and Italian gardens of the period, and have an upper terrace containing flower beds for the botanical collection and a lower level containing a large central lake full of fountain sculptures, amphibious animals and exotic aquatic plants.

The Ajuda Royal Botanic Gardens, Chemistry Laboratory, Natural History Museum and House of Drawing were together more like a research station for over 5,000 species of live plants and seeds than a formal ornamental garden. Following a period of decline, the Ajuda Royal Museum and Botanic Gardens were put under the administrative responsibility of the Academy of Science in 1836 and when the Polytechnic School was created the next year, separate gardens were created at Principe Real for pure academic research.

Jardim Botanico da Ajuda. Tel: 21 362 2503. Closed on Wednesday. Open 09:00 - 20:00 in summer, closing at 18:00 in winter.