Statuary
The sculpture of Afonso Henriques, first king of Portugal, is situated in the middle of the Place-of-Arms and is a bronze replica of the original, by Soares dos Reis (1847-1889), which can be found in Guimarães . This sculpture was a gift from the city of Porto to the city of Lisbon, during the commemorations marking the 700th anniversary of the conquest of the city on October 25, 1947. The statue sits on a cylindrical, stone plinth, which bears the inscription: DISTRICT OF PORTO TO THE CITY OF LISBON 1147-1947
This limestone sculpture is located to the left of the Museum Centre. With a height of 2.20m, it depicts a seated King Manuel I wearing royal robes. It was originally commissioned by the Lisbon Municipal Council and awarded to Portuguese sculptor Maximiano Alves (1888-1954) in the early 1930s.
It was intended to be placed on Avenida da India, together with another sculpture representing John II.
Completed in 1933, when the sculpture of Manuel I arrived at the Castelo de São Jorge is unknown. However, we do know that it has been situated in different locations around the castle grounds from where it is currently found.
The statue is continuously monitored and specific conservation and restoration techniques ensure it is preserved and enhanced. King Manuel lived in the Castle Palace until the end of the 15th century, when he began building a new residence: the Paço da Ribeira (Riverside Palace). Despite this, he carried out works between 1499 and 1515 and adapted it to the requirements of the court at the time.
This lioz sculpture is located to the left of the path that leads to the castle and depicts an unclothed woman kneeling on a quadrangular pedestal. Created by sculptor António Duarte and dating from 1948, the sculpture was commissioned by the Lisbon City Council for Jardim do Campo Grande, where it was displayed before arriving at Castelo de S. Jorge.
This collection of sculptures has been systematically monitored and timely conservation and restoration measures have ensured their preservation, enhancement and aesthetic and cultural enjoyment.