Park Necessidades — Attraction in Lisbon

It has the potential to be the best park in the city if anyone would invest in it.

It has: In the central part is a big lawn, great for picnics and enjoying the peace and quiet (ducks, peacocks, gees and chickens excluded). To the west of the lawn there is a dog or children park, i was not sure, but it is fenced so they don't bother those that are allergic to them. On the other side to the east of the lawn there is a pond with ducks. Further east from the lawn there are staircases that lead to the closed section unfortunately, with a garden done in french style, with a symmetrical pattern of short hedges outlining the flowers planted there. And by looking at it on google maps it is apparent that on the other side of it there are staircases again leading to another similar area that is also closed off. To the north of the lawn there are buildings. First up right next to the lawn there is a glass dome that looks like a theater of some sort, although small and half the glass roof is shattered, then behind it there are buildings that look like maybe they were coops for the birds that are now running around. Coming right behind that is a plato with a big circular water feature that isn't working and half around it is a wall with a (closed) gate that leads into a (overgrown) corridor that leads to some sort of i guess important building. Next to the corridor starts a cactus garden that has been left unchecked for far too long. Even though cactuses are thriving, the paths through it are bit harder to navigate so...

Beautiful park that used to belong to the portuguese crown and is now a public garden.

This park goes back to the 18c, when king João IV acquired land to constitute the grounds for a palace, convent and a church. The palace is today the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The estate surrounding the palace were first laid out as hunting grounds and farming fields but through time were altered to become what it is today. In the 19c, part of the park was redesigned following an "english landscape" style. A greenhouse, a tenis court, a retreat pavillion, a kennel, and other structures followed.

Today, many of the structures of the park are rundown, and in urgent need of intervention. The vegetation and lawns, on the other hand, are fairly well taken care. Several birds run free around the park, from chickens to geese and ducks. There is a cactus collection, and several old and magestic trees.

Unfortunately the relationship between the palace and the park was severed. Access to the park is done either by a side door close to the Palace's main façade, in the south, or by a door in the north of the park, towards Campo de Ourique. Entrance is free.

The topography of the park might be challenging. Several people keep to enjoying the lawn area close to the southern entrance. Note that there are no services...

A peacock‘s calling now and then with a remarkable voice. Soft breezes blowing through the leaves. Suddenly the flock of huge grey gooses is protesting aloud for feeling threatened by some two-legs crossing their territory. All of these sounds are imbedded in — silence. That‘re my main takeaways from this place: peace, silence and beauty. Tapada das Necessidades is a gem in midst of urban surroundings. It’s not really hidden but well known amongst locals who are laying on the lawn, catching sun beams. The vegetation is rich and wild and grown of many sorts. Some part of this area looks really tropical. Unfortunately the builds there appearing sad and neglected. They’re ruins, dreaming in the sunshine of better times which are long gone. But even this state of sadness and abandonment was giving us the opportunity to jump back into a time of childhood, when we were discovering the world, checking out old barns and searching dusty, wooden smelling roofs for hidden treasures. Wanna get some rest in silence you can hear and feel? Wanna discover some old buildings, asking yourself what their means would have been back in the times since it isn‘t to see right away? Go and check this place. And afterwards you can re-energize yourself in some of the cosy locations in the...