Mercado de Santa Clara, Lisbon

The Santa Clara Market, located in Campo de Santa Clara in Lisbon, was among the first of a series of commercial buildings in Portugal to use two types of materials characteristic in Europe in the 2nd half of the 19th century: iron and glass, applied in the so-called iron architecture.

The project, developed by the architect Emiliano Augusto de Bettencourt, an employee of the Ministry of Public Works, was approved on February 22, 1876.

The market was opened on October 7, 1877.

It is located in an area of 1250 m2, and is built on a sloping plane, for structural convenience and to facilitate water runoff.

The building consists of a central nave and, in a separate body, the stores. The main gates are located to the east and west.

It was built by the company Companhia de Mercados e Edificações Urbanas, created for the construction of markets, and that had the concession for a period of 50 years, after which it passed to the possession of the Lisbon City Hall.

It was intended for the sale of fresh food products, and represented great progress in terms of hygiene and cleanliness.

Currently this space is available for events related to Lisbon's creative industries.

The side stores are for the sale of handicrafts, antiques, and vintage items, and there are also some restaurant spaces.

The market is framed by monumental buildings such as the Churches of S. Vicente de Fora and Santa Engrácia and the Navy Hospital.

Around the building there is the Feira da Ladra flea market, the oldest in Lisbon, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.