Commerce Square is the centrepiece of Lisbon and faces one of the widest parts of the River Tagus at its mouth. The square suffered a huge earthquake in 1755 and was later remodelled giving it its present appearance. The equestrian statue of King Jose I, who ruled five years before the disaster, was dedicated to the square 20 years on. Notice how he is trampling on a bed of snakes with the hoofs of his horse. The symmetrical designs and open space I had one balmy day in December were bliss. It gave me much to marvel at without facing the heat and crowds of July and August. #photography #views #history #plaza