The Maturity of Smart Cities in Portugal: A study about the urban growth of Portuguese municipalities on becoming truly smart and sustainable cities

Abstract

On November 1st 1755, a violent earthquake hit the Portuguese coast. (Sarmento & Cardoso, 2006). Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal, as Chief minister of King Joseph I, was responsible for understanding the reasons for the earthquake and for rebuilding what was destroyed. On 1756, he sent a scientific inquiry to all catholic congregations in Portugal, collecting data about the intensity and damage caused by the earthquake in all national territory. The results were published in the newspapers at the time. (Midões, 2009) The Lisbon Earthquake, as it is known, constitutes today a historical and scientific landmark, as it marked a turning point in national architecture and spatial planning. The survey carried out by the Marquis of Pombal, was the beginning of the study of seismology and served as an object of study for modern science. (Midões, 2009).