Celebrating 25 years this 2023 the Oceanarium of Lisbon and Lisbons Park of Nations – the Parque das Nações – is one of Lisbon’s popular spots. This area was an industrial site on the inner coast of the River Tagus.
Pavilions and large auditoria were built. Parks and water fountains installed. Trees and plants were brought in. The Expo 98 closed at the end of that Summer 1998. Today the Parque das Nações continues to be an important entertainment hub.
Many restaurants catering to all tastes and budgets line up the streets.
The Oceanarium of Lisboa:
‘Oceans – a heritage for the future‘. Celebrating 500 years of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea voyage to India. This was the theme of the Expo 98.
The Oceanarium of Lisboa, designed by Peter Chermayeff, is Europe’s largest.
Entrance to the Oceanarium
Science fiction? Nooo, just the usual residents in the Oceanarium’s tanks, going about their daily routine … Awesome engineering putting all this together!
The Oceanarium’s central tank holds 5 million litres of salt water with 8,000 sea creatures of 500 different species. It features four separate tanks representing the Indian, Antartic, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. In the main tank you can see eagle rays and mantas, hammerhead sharks and mullets. The smaller tanks hold conger and ray eels, sea dragons, octopus and living corals.
Sea Otters, Penguins and Forests Underwater:
Areas were built to house penguins and sea otters.
These playful sea otters provide their own show, speedily swishing to and fro in the water from end to end.
It’s a tough life lazing in the pond all day !!!
One of the many residents, the penguin, at the Oceanarium.
What are the suits doing up there? !!!
The exhibition Forests Underwater by Takashi Amano shows plants with fresh water fish in a 40 metre long aquarium. A seating area provides calm viewing.
Another exhibition is ‘ONE, the ocean as you have never felt it’. It is an art installation work with images by Maya de Almeida Araújo, a specialist in underwater photography.
At the entrance to the Oceanarium is the gift shop Sea the Future. The Tejo Restaurant is located here. It is open from 10am to 7pm in the Summer and 10am to 6pm in the winter.
The Oceanarium has received over 28 million people. One of Lisbon’s treasures it is worth a visit. Children will find it fascinating. Open from 10am to 7pm. Tel: +351-218917000.
The Vasco da Gama Tower, Babylon Bar, Cable Cars:
The Vasco da Gama Tower, with a height of 145m, houses the Babylon Bar on the top. From here you have spectacular 360º views including of the 17 km Vasco da Gama bridge completed in 1998.
The restaurant Fifty Seconds by Michael Berasategui serves dinner only. Named after the 50 seconds it takes to reach the top by lift.
In May 2023 the Sana Group of hotels opened the luxury five star Myriad By Sana Hotels. It adjoins the Vasco da Gama Tower.
The overhead cable cars take you from behind the Oceanarium to the Vasco da Gama Tower. They provide great views of the area for miles. Open from 11am to 7pm.
The Altice Arena, which was the Utopia Pavilion in the Expo ’98, is now a concert venue. Next door is the International Trade Fair of Lisboa (FIL). Conferences and fairs take place here.
Scattered around the Parque are gardens and benches. The Garcia de Orta Gardens and the Water gardens (Jardim da Água) are just two offering restful areas. Seating areas are available overlooking the river.
Art at Lisbons Park of Nations:
There are art works in various places. Just outside the Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre is the iron sculpture Sun Man (Homem-Sol), above left, by Jorge Vieira. In the middle photo is a sculpture of the Iberian Lynx by Bordado II. A talented artist Bordalo is famous world-wide for his structures of animals, birds and other designs. He uses plastics and other items from trash to create his impressive artwork. Next to it is a sculpture, right, entitled Rhizome by Antony Gormley.
Lisbons Park of Nations has a lot to offer the visitor.
By Pat Rodrigues