Chão Sagrado, Chão Profano: O Sítio das Francesinhas - Um Estudo de Evolução Urbana em Lisboa (1667-2017)

The history of Lisbon is made up of sites and the way in which they are transformed (or not) over time. After more than two centuries of conventual occupation, in particular from the end of the 19th century, at a time of post-religious extinction, the Sítio das Francesinhas became one of the most desirable spots in the city. The way in which big projects were planned, multiplied and ultimately rejected shows that the ambition of political agents did not always heed the limitations of the city and ended up creating urban voids that could only be filled with a lot of extra effort.
This article seeks to trace the history of this place, the way in which it was looked at and desired, the various projects planned for it (and which were abandoned), and its eventual occupation.