Lisbon earthquake kills more than 50,000 in Portugal

On the morning of 1 November 1755, Lisbon, Portugal, was violently shaken by one of history’s deadliest earthquakes, estimated to be a magnitude of 8.5 to 9.0.

The tremors lasted mere minutes, but the damage was overwhelming.

Buildings crumbled, landmarks fell, and fires quickly engulfed the city as people scrambled for safety. The catastrophe was further compounded by a powerful tsunami that swept inland, devastating coastal areas.

This sequence of calamities reduced Lisbon to ruins, leaving an estimated 50,000 dead in its wake and countless more injured.

The impact of the earthquake was so profound that it influenced European Enlightenment thinkers, challenging religious and philosophical views, and transforming Portugal’s approach to urban planning and architecture as the city embarked on a long, arduous process of recovery and reconstruction.