A heart in flames On 25 August 1988, the sun didn’t rise in Chiado. The sky was a dark, leaden grey, blanketed by a dense cloud of smoke. Dust, soot and sparks danced in the scorching and suffocating air, as the windows burst into flames. Those who bore witness will never forget. And even now, twenty years on, that tragic morning, when a part of Lisbon disappeared for ever, remains a painful memory.
I
t was still dark when, somewhere between 3.00am
ha, protected by its imposing stone arches since 1635.
and 4.00am, a fire started in the Armázens Gran-
Gone was the Antiga Casa José Alexandre and its vast
della in Rua do Carmo. Though well frequented by
assortment of household articles. Gone was Jerónimo
day, Chiado was mostly deserted at night and as such
Martins, former supplier to the royal family and its huge
the local fire brigade was only alerted at 5.19am. A few
range of everything from materials to perfumes. Gone
minutes later, the first fire engines began to arrive. Be-
was Martins & Costa, the capital’s finest purveyor of cold
fore them lay a fire and a frightening array of problems:
meats and hams. Gone was Custódio Cardoso Pereira
old, degraded and largely wooden buildings, pressu-
and the enticing gloss of its musical instruments, and
rised gas bottles, an unhelpful wind and, of course, the
so too Valentim de Carvalho, the oldest record produc-
recent and controversial arrangement of cafés lining the
er in Portugal. And, of course, gone was the magical
street that made it difficult to manoeuvre vehicles eas-
Grandella, Lisbon’s first grand department store, built
ily. At 7.20am, the first scare occurred when the flames
entirely from wood, from the staircases to the counters,
leapt across the street to engulf the facing buildings.
and its toy section that introduced various generations
It was only 8.30am when Grandella and Armazéns do
of children to the whole wonderful world of miniatures.
Chiado started to collapse. Fire brigades from all over
Next door, stood the rival Grandes Armazéns do Chiado,
Lisbon and the outskirts converged on Chiado, 48 in all
strategically located since 1905 at the entrance to Rua
that morning, more than one thousand men fighting a
Garrett, with its grandiose staircase and, in times past,
fire the like of which the capital had never seen. And
equally fine range of goods. They were the most visible
they did so with endeavour, drama, powerlessness and
symbol of an old and prestigious area that had declined
disorganisation. And absolute disbelief at the ferocity of
and become increasingly sullied.
the flames that confronted them at every corner. Many
In 15 hours, 18 buildings in the city’s most esteemed
of the employees of the shops at risk despaired, while
commercial area had burnt down and some 2,000 peo-
others acted. A fireman ran out of a school clutching a
ple had lost their jobs as a result of a fire whose images
globe. An impatient employee dared the blaze to save
were shown around the world. But with each disaster
the cash register. It was 10.00am when the fire scaled
also comes a fresh beginning and so the architect Siza
Rua Garrett to Rua Ivens, at the same time as it de-
Vieira was immediately appointed to find a solution to
scended Rua Nova do Almada. There were fears for the
maintaining the memory of a lost past and a future as
Grémio Literário, and alarm bells rang for the Museu
yet unforetold. He chose to maintain the Pombal-era
do Chiado, whose artworks were removed. Finally, at
exterior design while adapting the interiors to the needs
11.00am, the fire was declared under control and lo-
of modern business, dignifying the area and managing
cals, amassed at the top of Rua Garrett or at home, eyes
to attract shops such as Fnac, Zara and Cartier, names
glued to their TV sets, sighed with relief.
that were essential to Chiado’s economic revitalisation.
In just one morning, some of Lisbon’s most historic
Twenty years later, it has regained its undisputed posi-
and charismatic shops had been lost. Gone were the
tion as Lisbon’s most upmarket, cosmopolitan, charm-
teas and milkshakes of the charming Pastelaria Fer-
ing and vibrant commercial district. And today, looking
rari. Gone were the beads that were just as glutton-
back, it is possible to see that what Chiado lost was
ously devoured at the capital’s oldest shop, Casa Batal-
probably also what saved it.•
16 · baix a & chiado con vida