Pieces of Portugal #2
During the late XIX century and early XX century big factories attracted workers to Lisbon. Those workers needed lodging and to face that need many of the factory owners started building “vilas” (villages) inside Lisbon. Those “vilas” were like little villages, where people who worked for a certain factory would live. Most times the workers were brought from the same region or even the same town, so in most villages people already knew each other before coming to the big city.
Some people refer to those “vilas” as little ghettos, but the truth is most if not all of the factory owners who’ve built “vilas” had much pride on their housing facilities (often naming the places after their own daughters) and the places were in fact rather nice.
This is one of such “vilas”. In the heart of Lisbon and not far from my parents place (been there for lunch yesterday, so I decided to make a small detour to take these pix).
Most of the “vilas” had a main entrance with an archway with the name of the “vila”. The houses were not exactly luxurious, but they were ok. Nowadays these "vilas" are trendy among young people, artists, journalists, etc... although in some you'll still find old folks living there, some of them whose families have come to Lisbon when their house was built.
Tags:Portugal photo
Some people refer to those “vilas” as little ghettos, but the truth is most if not all of the factory owners who’ve built “vilas” had much pride on their housing facilities (often naming the places after their own daughters) and the places were in fact rather nice.
This is one of such “vilas”. In the heart of Lisbon and not far from my parents place (been there for lunch yesterday, so I decided to make a small detour to take these pix).
Most of the “vilas” had a main entrance with an archway with the name of the “vila”. The houses were not exactly luxurious, but they were ok. Nowadays these "vilas" are trendy among young people, artists, journalists, etc... although in some you'll still find old folks living there, some of them whose families have come to Lisbon when their house was built.
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Tags:Portugal photo
posted by DCveR at 9:02 AM
9 Comments:
Ooh Portugal looks lovely!
which areas of Lisbon could you find these vilas? again, am Portuguese and knew nothing of this! thanks for sharing. :D
after a bit of research ( i was too curious and had to google those Vilas) and i found out that the one you photographed is in Graca. and you had told me that already some weeks ago (a quando das marchas populares)
NML: I would say so, but that would be slightly biased... ;)
nyasha: In Graça there is Vila Berta, Vila Sousa and Bairro Estrela de Ouro (this one has several blocks, probably one of the biggest vilas), you have also Vila Candida in Penha de França and Vila Paulo in Estefânia, these are the ones I know by name, but you find vilas in all of the Bairros Populares (Alfama, Castelo, Santiago, Alcântara, Santa Catarina, Bica, Madragoa, Benfica, Pena, Mouraria, etc...)
They are rather pretty with their tiles and wrought iron, but I imagine the wealthy did look down on them in those times because they were the dwelling places of factory workers.
Ha! How did I know before I even read it, that those vilas are now the trendy places!
It looks really nice DCver. I've been thinking that if I ever start making money with my writing and can afford to travel, I'll have to check Lisbon out. My main interest is castles and fortresses (not palaces), do you have many in your area?
GG: But the rich would always look down on them and at least this was better than living in a hut. How did you know? 6th sense? Women's intuition? Maybe simply a good knowledge about people and their vanity... ;)
chill daddy: A few castles around Lisbon and plenty of smaller fortresses, mostly around the coast line. Some of the churches like Lisbon's cathedral doubled as fortresses too in case of need.
A cathedral that doubles as a fortress? That's particularly interesting to me. Maybe you should take a liesurely walk down there with your camera.
chill daddy: Done that already. Lisbon's Cathedral like most of gothic churches can double as a fortress, notice the narrow windows? Big enough to look out or shoot an arrow, very hard to throw something in.
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