Lisbon Eco Marathon

Parque Eduardo VII is the largest park in the center of Lisbon and is commonly known only as Edward VII Park. Located in São Sebastião da Pedreira, was baptised in 1903 in honor of Edward VII of the United Kingdom, who had visited Lisbon the previous year to reaffirm the alliance between the two countries. Until then, it was designated Freedom Park. The space it occupies extends for about 60 acres. At the top of the park, in a very visible area of ​​the city, there is a large flag of Portugal that represents the pride of the people in being Portuguese, and of Lisbon in being the capital of the country. Out of curiosity, this flag was suggested by an 8 year old boy named Tomás Carvalho, in 2003, to the then President of the Republic, Jorge Sampaio. The area where the current Parque Eduardo VII is located was, in the 19th century, the Passeio Público, which was destroyed following the opening of Avenida da Liberdade in 1882. It was opened at the beginning of the 20th century; originally intended for the extension of Avenida da Liberdade. The current configuration of the park was designed by the architect Francisco Keil do Amaral (1942). The central, grassy lane is flanked by long walks of Portuguese sidewalk, dividing the park into two greenery, green areas. In the northwest corner of the park, at the site of a former basalt quarry, is the Estufa Fria (Cold Greenhouse), with a variety of exotic plants, streams, waterfalls, palm trees and rails, fuchsia, flowering shrubs and banana trees, and the Estufa Quente (Hot Greenhouse) with plants lush, lakes and cacti as well as tropical birds. Near the greenhouses is a lake with large carps and a park for children to play, in the shape of a galleon. On the east side is the Carlos Lopes Pavilion named after the winner of the 1984 Olympic marathon. At the northern top there is a monumental viewpoint where the monument was erected on April 25, flanked by 2 sets of 2 obelisks of "authoritarian" inspiration from the original project of the Park. The monument to the 25 of April (where it is seen, in particular, a red carnation), inaugurated in 1997, is the author of João Cutileiro and was the object of much controversy by its phallic form; it follows the Garden Amália Rodrigues that honors the Portuguese diva of the fado. It is also at the top that Lisbon Eco Marathon starts and finishes.