Avenida da Liberdade

Avenida da Liberdade (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐveˈniðɐ ðɐ liβɐɾˈðaðɯ]; meaning 'Avenue of Liberty') is a boulevard in central Lisbon, Portugal. It was built between 1879 and 1886 and designed by engineer Frederico Ressano Garcia. Measuring 90 metres wide, the avenue was modeled after Paris's Champs-Élysées and is known for its luxury retail stores and architecture. The avenue was built on the former site of the Passeio Público, an 18th-century park initially designed for exclusive use by the Portuguese nobility. Despite its name ('Public Promenade'), the park was walled and gated until 1821, when King João VI ordered the walls be removed and access opened to all social classes. Once on the northern periphery of Lisbon, the park was converted into a boulevard as the city expanded north during the 19th century. Avenida da Liberdade is also home to several embassies and diplomatic missions to Portugal, including those of Australia, Canada, Cyprus, and Slovakia. The Avenida connects Marquis of Pombal Square to Restauradores Square, marking the entrance to the Lisbon Baixa neighbourhood.