estufa fria liberdade in loco
E stufa Fria >>> um espaço de pedagogia e de formação para a proximidade com a Natureza. Ideal para passear com os mais pequenos, por entre os percursos sinuosos e
discretos também se pode descobrir um bom livro, uma tarde de paixão ou simplesmente umas horas de fuga à agitação que caracteriza a vida cosmopolita.•
Where once there was a quarry, today there stands a tranquil spot where you can enjoy flora from all around the world. Lisbon’s Estufa Fria is the ideal place for a stroll down winding pathways adorned with the most beautiful species of plants and trees and is one of Lisbon’s most valuable jewels.
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alking up Avenida da Liberdade towards Marquês de Pombal brings you to one of the most important points in Lisbon: the Parque Eduardo VII, or Edward VII Park. Its long green lawns are within a stone’s throw of the large roundabout where urban chaos reigns, but tucked away inside this huge park lies one of the city’s finest ‘landmarks’, a hideaway that resembles an urban oasis and beckons you on a voyage of discovery. Built in the 1930s, the Estufa Fria is a little world of nooks and crannies decorated with species of trees and plants that are considered to be genuinely rare. That it is deemed to be one of the most beautiful examples of its kind in all of Europe is no mere chance. The site that is today a retreat for naturelovers was once a basalt quarry. Witnessing the idyllic scene inside the Estufa Fria today, it is hard to imagine it as a grey expanse full of the noise of machinery. Cool in the summer and mild in the winter, it is now a place where calm is king and the prevailing sounds are those of the small waterfalls and the birds that flutter overhead. The Estufa Fria owes its origins to a humble gardener, though at the time 14
he could hardly have imagined the size or importance it would one day have. After the quarry closed – due to a the existence of a water-spring nearby – the gardener used the space to house species of plants from all over the world that were to be used to line Avenida da Liberdade. However, the scheme was halted due to the start of the First World War. Time went by, nature looked on calmly and the roots grew deep into the ground. It was only in the 1930s that the architect and artist Rui Carapinha became enchanted by what had become a chaotic site. He envisaged a first-rate garden and managed to turn it into reality within three years with the inauguration of what is still today known as the Estufa Fria. A visit is synonymous with a long journey through the world’s flora. Bearing in mind that all the species are identified and documented, the garden is a place where visitors can get close to nature through learning and study. It is the perfect place for a walk with the kids or, amid the winding and concealed pathways, to delve into a good book. Or spend a romantic afternoon. Or just a few hours away from the city hubbub.•