Praça do Comércio is also known as Terreiro do Paço, recalling the royal palace that stood here before the earthquake of 1755. Today the great open square connects the ordered streets of the Baixa to the Tagus. Its scale is best understood by walking across it rather than only photographing it from the arch.

Look towards the equestrian statue of José I, then turn to compare the river opening with the Arco da Rua Augusta. The official tourism account highlights the Cais das Colunas, the Lisbon Story Centre and the arch’s viewpoint as different ways of exploring the setting.