Black-horse square

Black-horse square is the English epithet for the Praça do Comércio, a grand plaza facing the harbour at the mouth of the Tagus river in Lisbon.* The appellation is derived from the heroic equestrian statue of King Joseph I that dominates the centre of the plaza.

Following their happily uneventful voyage on the St Serlo's Blessing, it is here where Mr Strange and his servant Jeremy Johns disembark upon their arrival in Portugal in February 1811 [29].

The Praça do Comércio was built following the destruction of the Ribeira Palace — and much of Lisbon — by an earthquake in 1755.^† It is still referred to as Terreiro do Paço — the Palace Yard — by the local people.

More information about this delightful monument to commerce may be found here.

Notes

*. Praça do Comércio is Portuguese for 'Plaza of Commerce'.

†. This earthquake caused King Joseph to develop an unnatural and morbid fear of inclosed spaces, to the point that he held his court in large tents for much of the rest of his reign.