Sculpture of Dom Sebastiao
Sculpture of Dom Sebastiao
3.5
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3.5
279 reviews
Excellent
48
Very good
102
Average
90
Poor
22
Terrible
17
Vitor A
Lisbon, Portugal795 contributions
Mar 2022
Dom Sebastião (Portuguese king) died very young, fighting against the moors in North Africa. As he didn’t have children, and as the Spanish king (Filipe II) was the son of a Portuguese princess, he inherited the Portuguese throne and Portugal was ruled by the Spaniards during 60 years. The sculptor (Cutileiro) was very effective in representing a child wearing adult outfit. Enjoy!
Written 3 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ron b
Houston, TX106 contributions
Apr 2018
Lagos is mainly a beach town, only a few things to see. This is said to be a sculpture of the Boy King dom Sebastiano, although it looks like a girl. n 1572, the 18 year-old Boy King, Dom Sebastião, paid a visit to Lagos to inspect the fortress at Sagres and the Franciscan monastery at Cape S. Vicente. Later that year, Dom Sebastião issued a new charter for Lagos and it became the capital of Algarve. His misguided attack on Morocco in 1578 resulted in his death at age 24 and Portugal lost its independence to Spain for 60 years. A myth developed that he wasn’t really dead and would one day return to rule Portugal. He rallied his troops for the fateful expedition into Morocco from the window of the nearby Santa Maria church.
Written 13 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
klikers3
Manchester, UK47 contributions
Sept 2019
Quite nice piece of art but not that much interesting that I expected. Recommended to see this place when you are in the Lagos
Written 2 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
maryfairy97
London, UK71 contributions
Oct 2018 • Family
Quite and unusual sculptue however why do people allow their children to climb all over it. Dont they teach their children about Art and teach them to apprciate objects instead of using them as a climbing fram.
Written 18 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jack H
Greenville, SC2,224 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
You cannot miss this odd statue of the unfortunate King Sebastian, who reigned for just over a year, before being killed in an ill-planned crusade to Morocco. He was childless, so his death also ended the Aviz dynasty of Portuguese monarchs.
You wanted the brief history lesson, right?
You'd think he'd be depicted heroically, on a horse or a throne perhaps. BUT! This is a 20th century depiction, so all that is thrown out the window. Fine with me, but the statue is still a mystery to me. I wonder if it's still a curiosity for the residents? Probably not, they pass by it every day. I did too, but that was only for the few days I was in Lagos recently.
Also curious - why is there a statue of Dom Sebastiao at the dead center of Gil Eanes Square? Shouldn't Gil be there instead? There IS a statue of him, out near the beaches...well, it's beyond my power of understanding, but then that power has never been much. At very least, a topic for a very brief conversation, this curiosity on the square.
You wanted the brief history lesson, right?
You'd think he'd be depicted heroically, on a horse or a throne perhaps. BUT! This is a 20th century depiction, so all that is thrown out the window. Fine with me, but the statue is still a mystery to me. I wonder if it's still a curiosity for the residents? Probably not, they pass by it every day. I did too, but that was only for the few days I was in Lagos recently.
Also curious - why is there a statue of Dom Sebastiao at the dead center of Gil Eanes Square? Shouldn't Gil be there instead? There IS a statue of him, out near the beaches...well, it's beyond my power of understanding, but then that power has never been much. At very least, a topic for a very brief conversation, this curiosity on the square.
Written 6 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael C
Welwyn, UK3 contributions
Apr 2013 • Couples
Fascinating part of Lagos. It is within easy distance of fish market, which is a must tovisit to see the amazing choice of fresh fish. Also of numerous cafes, shops and street markets, with reasonable car parking nearby.
Written 1 May 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
António Manuel Rodrigues
Lagos, Portugal5 contributions
Sept 2012 • Couples
This ýoung little Prince was an important figure in the Lagos history and someone chose to honour him with this...heap of stones~~or is it supposed to be ´modern art´? Beats me. Check out the heap of scrap metal rubbish on the D. Maria Bridge roundabaout on the Avenida! Scary to think that someone made a lot of money out of ´The Brains´ with it!! Check out the wall mosaic next to the ´fountains?´ What must Infant D. Henrique think to be placed in the same league!
Written 20 September 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gloria B
Toronto, Canada674 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
This modern statue represents the vey young King Sebastian who died at age 24. The armour he wears is oversized showing that he was too young to bare the burden of kingship. He looks like a character from Star Wars and indeed he died in battle.
Written 13 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joao Pedro J
Lagos, Portugal105 contributions
Mar 2017 • Family
This statue represents the lost King Dom Sebastião, a portuguese king that desapeared in africa centurys ago.
Its the vision of a local sculptor (later famous) called José Cutileiro, done in the period he lived in Lagos (near Parque das Freiras).
If art must provoque reactions this one was one of his masterpieces, because it did cause a lot of talk among Lagos people... and for many many years, until it was finaly accepted and recognized by locals as true art.
The initial reactions called it a robot, or a gay, or a woman look... part of those nicknames match the historical references about that king.
Many decades later it still lies in the heart of Lagos, centered in front of the old Town Hall.
And has been an atraction for many turist. Kids love to go over his helmet for play, or for a photo.
Its the vision of a local sculptor (later famous) called José Cutileiro, done in the period he lived in Lagos (near Parque das Freiras).
If art must provoque reactions this one was one of his masterpieces, because it did cause a lot of talk among Lagos people... and for many many years, until it was finaly accepted and recognized by locals as true art.
The initial reactions called it a robot, or a gay, or a woman look... part of those nicknames match the historical references about that king.
Many decades later it still lies in the heart of Lagos, centered in front of the old Town Hall.
And has been an atraction for many turist. Kids love to go over his helmet for play, or for a photo.
Written 27 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nuno B
Povoa de Santa Iria, Portugal11 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
Excellent square for relaxing.
Grab an ice cream, listen to some street musicians and pose in front of this 1973 statue of one of the most iconic Portuguese kings - Dom Sebastião - who went missing in actrion in the battle of Alcácer-Quibir in 1578.
We Portuguese are still waiting for him to return and bring greatness to Portugal again :)
Grab an ice cream, listen to some street musicians and pose in front of this 1973 statue of one of the most iconic Portuguese kings - Dom Sebastião - who went missing in actrion in the battle of Alcácer-Quibir in 1578.
We Portuguese are still waiting for him to return and bring greatness to Portugal again :)
Written 27 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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