A dome
over Lisbon.
Opened on 14 August 1890, the Coliseu dos Recreios made its mark on Portuguese architecture by introducing a new metal structure, crowned by its impressive iron dome.
Imported from Germany and designed by the engineers Goulard and Manuel Garcia Júnior, the structure weighs more than 100 tonnes and measures 48.68 metres in diameter. It had to be hoisted with powerful cranes and an ingenious mechanism, at a speed of 2 metres per hour.
When the circus starts in coliseo
The first circus performance at Coliseu dos Recreios took place on 18 October 1890, before a packed audience. An Equestrian and Acrobatic Company made its debut, bringing together different circus disciplines and a diverse cast of performers.
Among the acts were Awata, a Japanese juggler; Kitchee, also Japanese, known for his work with dry bamboo; the Christian family, acrobats; Virginia Aragón, a tightrope walker; and Mlle. Jany, a high-school equestrian performer. The programme also featured an athlete named Fernandez, specialising in the horizontal bar, Hagen-beck, with trained elephants, and several clowns.