Nov 08, 2016 the lisbon earthquake of 1755 certainly left its mark on the worlds cultural heritage as well as on the aspects of religion and philosophy. Oct 01, 2008 a gripping book about lisbon as the trade centre leading up to the 1755 earthquake. May 06, 2019 all about the great lisbon earthquake of 1755. This gulf of fire examines the lisbon, portugal, earthquake. The 1755 earthquake and tsunami were influential not only in portugal but in all european and north african countries where the devastating effects were felt.
On 1 november 1755, a sunday and the feast of all saints, an earthquake shook the portuguese capital lisbon, then europes fourthlargest city, around 9. The 1755 lisbon earthquake, also known as the great lisbon earthquake, occurred in the kingdom of portugal on saturday, 1 november, the holiday of all saints day, at around 09. Wrath, ruin, and reason in the great lisbon earthquake of 1755. The lisbon earthquake of 1755 was no runofthemill misfortuneit was a watershed moment that shook the pillars of an inveterate social order and sent reverberations throughout the western world.
About halfway through the book, in the chapter devoted quite rightly to the most devastating earthquake ever to have affected europe, in 1755, it occurred to me that hattons main theme is not the sea, as implied by the title, but lisbons wonderful architecture, civil engineering, streets and institutions. Nov 01, 2011 lisbon earthquake poem 1755 by voltaire. The effects of the 1755 lisbon earthquake and tsunami on the algarve region. Lisbon earthquake of 1755 this day in portuguese history for this edition of our blog series this day in portuguese history we touch on perhaps the single most defining event in lisbons long history, the great earthquake of 1755. Violent shaking demolished large public buildings and about 12,000 dwellings. The place was lisbon, which was portugals capital and the largest city in the area. The destruction of lisbon, or apocalypse in the age of science and reason. The lisbon earthquake of 1755 forced thinkers to reengage with many of the greatest metaphysical and scientific questions of the day. The combination of the earthquake and the tsunami, especially with little understanding of the nature of tsunamis, caused almost universal destruction in lisbon. Three shocks toppled most of the portuguese capitals buildings. The odd coincidence that this horrendous catastrophe happened during a religious holiday still echoes in dialectics and religious discussions. On november 1, 1755, an earthquake of magnitude 9 hit lisbon. Lisbon earthquake of 1755, series of earthquakes that occurred on the morning of nov.
Where there are significant inconsistencies between the impact and the meaning associated with it should be of interest to the social sciences. A second life recreation of the memory of lisbon as it was before the earthquake of the 1 november 1755. The 1755 earthquake and tsunami were influential not only in portugal but in all. University of delaware, disaster research center, 1999. By the end of the week it is said the death toll was as high as 100,000, but 60,000 is the.
But most of northern europe was seismically stable and for most europeans, earthquakes occurred elsewhere. The meaning of a particular disaster occasion is created independent of its consequences. Several thousand of people were killed and more than 10,000 building destroyed in lisbon alone. Just after half past nine on the morning of sunday 1 november 1755, the end of the world came to the city of lisbon. Both events occurred, literally out of the blue, at critical junctures in history and both struck at the heart of large trading networks. All about the great lisbon earthquake of 1755 discover. Charles davy was writing between nine and ten oclock in the morning on this day, november 1, 1755 when his papers began to tremble. Seismologists today estimate the lisbon earthquake had a magnitude in the range 8. The hellish events of that day in 1755 when the portuguese capital was left in ruins lisbon was. The new lisbon opera house the opera do tejo, opened just six months before, burned to the ground.
The lisbon earthquake of 1755 november 2, 2015 by john faithful hamer leave a comment if the worldview of the ancient hebrews was shaped by a great flood, the worldview of the modern west was. The lisbon earthquake of 1755 public distress and political. Malcolm jack, charles james and jan kozak, and russell dynes all recount the swift succession of events from tremors to earthquakes to tsunamis to conflagrations and floods, through anarchy, injury, and disease, to ultimate urban restoration. The earthquake, tsunami and great fire destroyed lisbon in 1755. A second life recreation of the memory of lisbon as it.
The city was virtually rebuilt from scratch following the widespread destruction. House of 1745, before the 1755 earthquake, lisbon district. In combination with subsequent fires and a tsunami, the earthquake almost totally destroyed lisbon and adjoining areas. According to walter benjamin, kants slim early book on the earthquake probably represents the beginnings of.
Sermons from the lisbon earthquake 17011800 church. There had been a major earthquake in port royal, jamaica in 1693 and in catania, sicily and in naples in 1693. Revisited is a collection of highquality, selected and improved proceedings from an international conference that took place in lisbon 2005 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the great 1755 earthquake. The effects of the 1755 earthquake still impact this society.
Sister catherine kitty witham was living with the bridgettine order. This is the first major work in half a century to assess the lisbon earthquake of 1755, both as it was represented at the time, and the reactions it provoked in large areas of western and central europe, including portugal, spain, france, england, germany, switzerland, and the netherlands. Somehow, i totally missed the history lesson on the natural disaster that befell lisbon portugal in 1755. The 1755 lisbon earthquake, also known as the great lisbon earthquake, occurred in the kingdom of portugal on the morning of saturday, 1 november, feast of all saints, at around 09. The 1755 earthquake and tsunami were influential not only in portugal but in all european and north african countries where the. This history of the great lisbon earthquake, fire, and tsunami of 1755 shines with. Ribeiro the 1761 earthquake was felt widely onland from southern ireland in the north. As described by fonseca 2004, lisbon, the capital city of portugal, a maritime superpower with colonies in africa, asia, and south america, was destroyed in a few minutes by a massive earthquake. Well, such a disaster did occur and this book is the telling of that story. This surprised him since the day was calm and beautiful.
The lisbon earthquake of 1755 in spanish contemporary authors. On a day that had begun with blue skies and gentle warmth, portugals proud capital was struck by a massive earthquake. The lisbon earthquake was not the quake of revelation 6 that will be a world wide event, with the kings of the earth hiding in the rocks and the mountains and islands moving from their places. The entire world was deeply impressed and the discussion of its causes generated a large amount of scientific and metaphysical speculation. Most of the people, both nobles and commoners, were gathering in the churches of the cities, lighting candles and praying. The lisbon earthquake of 1755 certainly left its mark on the worlds cultural heritage as well as on the aspects of religion and philosophy. This book is a study of the catastrophic earthquake that hit lisbon on all souls day in 1755 and the 20 years of rebuilding that followed. The lisbon earthquake of 1755 liverpool university press. It may very well be that the best book on the 1755 lisbon earthquake is yet to be written, but until then, shradys book will do nicely. The lisbon earthquake of 1755 the good men project. The lisbon earthquake of 1755 representations and reactions braun, theodore e. Lisbon earthquake and tsunami portugal november 1, 1755.
The reconstruction of lisbon following the earthquake of 1755. Surprisingly detailed description of the earthquake pieced together by various accounts by eye witnesses, and shocking political and religious impact the earthquake had on lisbon and even to the rest of europe. Mar 12, 2019 on the morning of the 1st of november 1755 one of europes most powerful earthquakes struck lisbon. Age of enlightenment and the 1755 lisbon earthquake. Shradys vivid account of the mideighteenthcentury lisbon earthquake is exemplary popular history. A gripping book about lisbon as the trade centre leading up to the 1755 earthquake. The lisbon earthquake of 1755 lisbon portugal guide. Wrath, ruin, and reason in the great lisbon earthquake of 1755 hardcover january 1, 1647 4. An offshore earthquake of magnitude 9, followed by a tsunami destroyed lisbon, portugal. On the morning of the 1st of november 1755 one of europes most powerful earthquakes struck lisbon. The dialogue between voltaire and rousseau on the lisbon earthquake. The lisbon earthquake of 1755 on the morning of the 1st of november 1755 one of europes most powerful earthquakes struck lisbon. Letter from a british nun gives account of lisbon earthquake.
Three centuries ago on this day, the city of lisbon was almost completely destroyed by the event. In the middle of the eighteenth century, the city of lisbon was the political and cultural center of the portuguese empire and was probably the fourth most populous city in europe. This gulf of fire examines the lisbon, portugal, earthquake in 1755 nprs robert siegel talks to mark molesky, associate professor at seton hall university, about his book, this gulf of fire. I also never knew about the surge of philosophical thought that came as a result. Apr 09, 2016 immanuel kant wrote an essay about the lisbon earthquake of 1755. Age of enlightenment and the 1755 lisbon earthquake chapter. November 1, 1755 was to be a sunny autumn day in the city of lisbon, one of the most important and. The timing of the lisbon earthquake made it a topic of discussion and disputation among intellectuals involved in what has come to be known as the enlightenment.
Revisited is a collection of highquality, selected and improved proceedings from an international conference that took place in lisbon 2005 to this book constitutes a good piece of work for any specialist seismologist, civil engineer, risk manager, historian, philosopher, etc. Seismologists today estimate the lisbon earthquake had. And it seemed to reaffirm the presence of god that many were trying to make abstract, distant and benign. In 1755, an earthquake laid the city of lisbon to waste. Some disasters are considered more important than others with similar impacts. The great lisbon earthquake occurred in portugal on saturday morning, 1 november 1755. Part of the geotechnical, geological, and earthquake engineering book series ggee, volume 7. All contributors concur that lisbon 1755 had a huge, worldwide impact. Oct 29, 2019 a devastating earthquake hits lisbon, portugal, killing as many as 50,000 people, on november 1, 1755. A devastating earthquake hits lisbon, portugal, killing as many as 50,000 people, on november 1, 1755. This paper compares the terrorist outrages of 11 september 2001 in new york city and washington to the lisbon earthquake of 1 november 1755. As per the publication the 1755 lisbon earthquake revisited by luiz mendesvictor, carlos sousa oliveira, joao azevedo and a.
The great lisbon earthquake of 1755 by edward paice. The 1755 lisbon earthquake the start of atheism in. It begins with the quake on november 1, 1755 ends with the death of sebastiao carvalho e mello, the portguese statesman who was largely responsible for the effort to rebuild and recover, 22 years later in 1777. The reconstruction of lisbon following the earthquake of. Lisbon was not the first to evoke governmental interest. Sermons from the lisbon earthquake 17011800 church history. Because november 1 is all saints day, a large part of the population was attending mass at the moment the. April 12, 2016 on the occasion of the 261st anniversary of the 1755 earthquake in lisbon, we invite scholars and experts in the fields of heritage studies, digital humanities, history, history of art and information technology to share and debate their experience and knowledge on digital heritage. As an alternative, the kindle ebook is available now and can be read on any. Mar 12, 2019 a letter written by a british nun gives a rare womans viewpoint on the lisbon earthquake which devastated the city in 1755. The shock waves of the event reflected the basic ideological traits of the eighteenth century. Earth, water, wind, and fire all conspired to produce a hellish catastrophe that lasted for a full five days and left lisbon thoroughly annihilated. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
It was all saints day in one of the most catholic cities of the world. By the end of the week 75,000 people in lisbon had died as a direct result of the earthquake, making the earthquake of 1755 one of the most deadly natural disasters the world has ever experienced. Immanuel kant wrote an essay about the lisbon earthquake of 1755. November 1, 1755 was to be a sunny autumn day in the city of lisbon, one of the most important and richest seaports of europe at the time. The great lisbon earthquake of 1755 by edward paice isbn.
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