Lisbon's main square since the Middle Ages is popularly known as the Rossío, although its official name is Praça Dom Pedro IV (whom the central statue commemorates). Although rather overwhelmed by the traffic that circles it, the Rossío is a grand space, with ornate French fountains. Public executions were once carried out here; slightly less dramatic performances these days are on show in the mid-19th-century Teatro Nacional (National Theater). It's at the square's northern edge and was built on the site of the Palace of the Inquisition. You'll probably do what the locals do when they come to the Rossío, though: pick up a newspaper, sit at one of the cafés that line the square's east and west sides, and, perhaps, have one of the roaming shoe shiners give your boots a polish—just be sure to agree on a price first.
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