Portugal

Designing cities below sea level: Paraty, Brazil

Paraty is a small town and tourist location on Brazil's Costa Verde, between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Rising as high as 1,300 meters behind the town are tropical forests and mountains. The village was founded in 1597 and established formally as a town by...

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Torres de Ofir

In the north of Portugal, sea lvel rise causes masssive land loss along the Atlantic coast. The building that has become the most emblematic for the situation along Portugal's coast are the Torres de Ofir, three towers set between the Cavado river and the ocean front...

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Blake and Mortimer: The Atlantis Mystery

In the Belgian classic comic series Blake and Mortimer there appeared in 1955 an adventure set in the mythical city Atlantis. It's the seventh story in the series which started in 1950. What I find noteworthy is that the city Atlantis here undergoes several...

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Calcadas Portuguesa

All along the Portuguese coast city squares are adorned with these types of pavements that resemble ocean waves. The Calcadas Portuguesa depict different motivs but the waves are a recurrent feature.

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Lisbon after the destruction

After the famous earthquake of 1755 that destroyed much of the city and could be felt all across the Mediterranean and much of continental Europe, the people of Lisbon had to rebuild the city. Portugal's chief minister Sebastia Jose de Carvalho e Mello (1699 - 1782)...

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The Lisbon Disaster

Contemporary etching of the Lisbon harbour during the 1755 earthquake and tsunami. Artist unknown.

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