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Lapa · Parks & Gardens

Jardim da Estrela is a public garden in Lisbon's Lapa neighbourhood, on Avenida Álvares Cabral (Estrela), 1200-667 Lisboa. It lies opposite the Estrela Basilica and covers about five hectares. Its official name is Jardim Guerra Junqueiro, honouring the poet and politician Guerra Junqueiro, a key figure in the fall of the Portuguese monarchy and the founding of the republic in 1910. The garden is open every day from 07:00 to midnight. In the 1840s, the governor of Lisbon, António Bernardo da Costa Cabral, saw that the densely populated city needed a public park. A donation from a wealthy baron allowed him to buy a large estate owned by Antonio Jose Rodrigues, facing the basilica. Construction began in 1842, but the outbreak of a war and financial difficulties delayed matters, and the park did not open to the public until 1852. The gardeners Bonard and João Francisco designed it around 1850 in a romantic landscaped style, with exotic plants and a central pond. It once had a gazebo and a Chinese pavilion, but neither remains. Queen Maria II liked to bring her children here. The planting includes exotic trees, cacti and flower beds, plus a pond with fountains. Among the showier species are jacarandas, dragon trees and araucarias. The ponds are home to ducks, swans, geese and carp, and visitors can also see peacocks and parakeets. A wrought iron bandstand from the nineteenth century stands here; it was first placed where Avenida da Liberdade now runs and was moved to the garden in 1936. Several statues were installed after the Portuguese Republic was created. One shows a farmer, made in 1913 by the sculptor Costa Mota. Another, known as "O Despertar", is a marble female nude by the Portuguese sculptor Simões de Almeida. The Guardadora de Patos, or keeper of the ducks, is a limestone replica of a marble statue from 1914 and portrays the lead character of a popular fairy tale. Nearby, a small fountain shows an allegorical figure with a dog that spouts water from its mouth. Busts honour Silva Taborda, an actor, and Antero de Quental, a poet, and a statue commemorates the poet João de Deus. The garden suits families, lovers and tourists, and is among the liveliest spots in the city at the end of the afternoon and at weekends. Locals come to socialise, stroll and have a drink at the café. Summer brings picnics, and the programme covers film festivals, open-air jazz, antiques fairs and Christmas markets.