Lisbon Noir

The São Domingos Mines in Alentejo, close to Mértola, were abandoned in 1966 after centuries of mining activities.

The area now resembles a post-apocalyptic waste land with its abandoned buildings, lagoons that are full of waste from the mines and as a result have high acidic levels and unusual bright metallic colors and a fascinating barren landscape due to the mining activities, pollution and a general hot climate. It is a beautiful site for those that can appreciate industrial decay.

The town of São Domingos itself has the renovated old mining quarters and an enormous mining pit. More interesting however, is the walk from Santana de Cambas to São Domingos following the old railroad, which is around 15 km round trip, you will very likely be all alone in this barren landscape with these old mining structures along the way and it will be walk you will not easily forget.

The Carlos Lopes Pavilion was built in 1923 in celebration of the 100th year anniversary of Brazil’s independence. It now lies abandoned at the edge of Parque Eduardo VII, initially known as Parque da Liberdade (Liberty Park), although until the 90′s it was a venue for concerts from bands such as The Jesus and Mary Chain.

On a walk through Lisbon’s Jardim Botânico I stumbled upon this abandoned astronomical observatory.

An abandoned warehouse along the river Tejo (Tagus) in Lisbon.

The Barbadinhos Steam Pumping Room is part of the Museu da Água and although it is not as centrally located as the two reservoirs, the Mãe d’Água das Amoreiras Reservoir and the Patriarcal Reservoir, it is worth the visit. And if you are there at the right time you can even see and hear the pumping room in action.

Abandoned building on Calçada do Marquês de Abrantes.

A lot of major cities around the world are intertwined with industrial sites that historically have been an inseparable and necessary part of the economic welfare of these cities.  A lot of these industrial buildings and sites have been demolished over the years, but fortunately not everywhere and some of these sites have been preserved by artists and local residents who moved in and created their own communities.

Good examples are Dumbo, in Brooklyn, NY where almost an entire neighborhood consisting of former factories and warehouses now has been converted to artist spaces, galleries, shops and living spaces and the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam, the Netherlands where an old gas works factory is used by artists and for cultural activities.

In Lisbon there is also such a converted industrial site, which is called the LXFactory. It lies in the shadow of the 25 de Abril Bridge in Alcântara, which through the late 19th century was an industrial area with lots of small factories and warehouses, however a lot of these buildings have been demolished over the years.

LXFactory consists of several buildings which have been converted to artist spaces, offices, small stores and a nice taverna where visitors and residents can have a drink and something to eat.

LXFactory
Rua Rodrigues de Faria, 103
1300-501, Lisbon