Portugal Pavilion
In Parque das Nações, Siza Vieira's pavilion for Expo'98, with its famous concrete canopy, returned to the city by the University of Lisbon.
Portugal Pavilion – University of Lisbon
On the Cais Português, by the Tagus, the Portugal Pavilion was designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Álvaro Siza Vieira to represent the country at Expo'98, the 1998 world exhibition that regenerated the whole Parque das Nações area. Now regarded as a symbol of Portuguese modernism, it owes its fame above all to the canopy over the Ceremonial Square, a 1,400-tonne roof of pre-stressed concrete that evokes a sheet of paper resting on two bricks and is considered a masterpiece of engineering. Handed over to the University of Lisbon, the building was refurbished under the supervision of the architect's studio, in keeping with the original design, and reopened to the public on 30 April 2025 with the first of the free Pala Concerts; the following day the new Exhibition Centre opened with the exhibition 'My shipmate and friend Luís de Camões'. It is now a multidisciplinary university venue, with an exhibition centre, a congress centre, a study room open 24 hours a day, the António Mega Ferreira Library, an innovation hub housing the headquarters of Startup Portugal and the Europe Startup Nations Alliance, and the Parque das Nações Interpretation Centre. The canopy and the exterior can be enjoyed freely; the interior opens to the public according to the programme of temporary exhibitions, concerts and conferences.
Located at: Universidade de Lisboa – Pavilhão de Portugal
Address: Cais Português, 1990-221 Lisboa
Opening hours: exterior freely accessible; interior open according to the programme (temporary exhibitions, usually 10:00-18:00)
Coordinates: 38.7663417, -9.0949798
Buses: 728, 26B, 705, 708, 725, 744, 759, 782
Metro: Oriente (Red), Cabo Ruivo (Red)
Train: Azambuja Line, Lisboa Oriente Station
Opened: 1998 (28 years)
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