(left) and
Vodafone Portugal HQ (right) from the
Tagus|200x200px , the longest bridge in the European Union|200x200px Parque das Nações was the designation given to the neighborhood that emerged within the former Intervention Zone of Expo, encompassing the site where the 1998 World Expo was held as well as all areas that were under the administration of ParqueExpo, S.A. This area has since become a hub of cultural activities and a new district of the city, hosting various cultural and sporting institutions of its own. The
contemporary architecture of Parque das Nações, along with its social spaces and the entire urbanization and urban requalification project, has injected new vitality into the eastern part of Lisbon, once an industrial area until the 1990s. Notable architectural landmarks in Parque das Nações include the striking vaults on the platforms of Gare do Oriente, designed by
Santiago Calatrava, which define his architectural style. The Pavilion of Portugal, by Portuguese architect
Álvaro Siza Vieira, which has an entrance featuring an imposing pre-stressed concrete canopy, based on the concept of a sheet of paper resting on two bricks, opening up the space to the city to accommodate the various events that a space of this scale hosts. The Park boasts the Knowledge Pavilion, a contemporary science and technology museum with numerous interactive exhibits. A
cable car provides transportation for visitors across the former exhibition area. Additionally, noteworthy attractions include the Pavilhão Atlântico (now known as
Altice Arena), the iconic
Vasco da Gama Tower (the country's tallest building), the
Lisbon Oceanarium (one of the world's largest aquariums), and the
Church of Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes, completed in March 2014. The Patriarchate of Lisbon established the parish of Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes within the territory of the proposed parish, distinct from the parishes of Santa Maria dos Olivais, Santo António de Moscavide, and Nossa Senhora da Purificação de Sacavém. Leveraging its strategic geographical location, the Park is home to a modern marina. The Parque das Nações Marina offers 600 mooring posts for recreational boats and is equipped with infrastructure to host major nautical events, featuring an event pier and a Pier Bridge not only for cruise boats or large historical vessels but also as a support area for land events. The marina's unique setting amidst the natural reserve of the Tagus estuary lends it a distinctive charm. The community of Parque das Nações has given rise to various entities and organizations, such as the Clube Parque das Nações and the Association of Residents and Traders of Parque das Nações, alongside numerous businesses and institutions The district was laid out in 1998 as the site of the
1998 Lisbon World Exposition. Following Expo '98, the area was transformed into a modern commercial and residential district, known as the
Parque das Nações (Park of the Nations). After the International Exposition of 1998, the area assumed its current name and underwent significant transformations, including the construction of a new shopping center, an international exhibition complex, several hotels, many new offices and residential buildings, and a
casino. Parque das Nações is also a perfect spot for
birdwatchers, as its proximity to the Tagus Estuary allows for the observation of various bird species. In 2004, "Oriente" was initially proposed as the designation for a prospective new
freguesia within the municipality of Lisbon. This proposed parish would have encompassed the entirety of Lisbon's Nations Park, consolidating an area previously divided among the parishes of
Moscavide,
Sacavém (both under the jurisdiction of the municipality of
Loures), and
Santa Maria dos Olivais (a parish within the municipality of Lisbon). Its northern boundary would have been delineated by the
Trancão River, while the eastern boundary would have been formed by the
Tagus River, the longest river in the
Iberian Peninsula. To the south, its limits would have extended to Avenida Infante D. Henrique (part of the parish of Santa Maria dos Olivais), and to the west, it would have been demarcated by the
Northern Railway Line, thus separating it from the parishes of Santa Maria dos Olivais, Moscavide, and Sacavém. The creation of the parish was envisaged in a bill proposed by the parliamentary groups of the
PSD and
CDS/PP parties, which expired with the dissolution of the
Assembly of the Republic in 2004. In the subsequent legislative term, in 2005, the same bill was reintroduced by a PSD deputy and referred to the Committee on Local Government, Environment, and Territorial Planning of the Assembly of the Republic for further evaluation and discussion. The bill presented statistical indicators demonstrating that the proposed parish met all the requirements for the creation of new parishes in the territory of mainland Portugal, specifically within the municipality of Lisbon, which has more stringent rules regarding parish creation. The Residents' and Merchants' Association of Parque das Nações supported the creation of the parish, stating it was essential to maintain cohesion within the urban space inherited from Expo '98. Parties and organizations advocating for this administrative change emphasized that it would be the most rational way to manage an area like Parque das Nações, which at that time was divided among three parishes and two municipalities. Furthermore, these organizations argued that there was a discrepancy between the fiscal reality and the administrative reality. At that time, the municipality of Loures did not administer any part of the territory of Parque das Nações – for example, it did not manage the water distribution or other municipal services – unlike the portion belonging to the municipality of Lisbon. Despite not directly participating in the administration of the Park, the Municipal Chamber of Loures received municipal taxes from it, and the population of that area voted for institutions within the municipality of Loures. It is worth noting that all organizations and resident groups of Parque das Nações expressed support for the creation of the parish for quite some time. Therefore, within the population directly affected by the matter, there was no divergence regarding the necessity of its establishment. The population regarded the tripartite administrative division as a legacy from the pre-Expo '98 era, outdated in light of the current reality. The creation of the new parish would simplify the administration of Parque das Nações after the area's return to municipal control, which was planned for 2009. In functional terms, the entire Parque das Nações operated, de facto, as a neighborhood of the city of Lisbon (albeit the most recent one), and its inhabitants identified themselves as such. It is important to highlight that the area that was supposed to be withdrawn from the parish of Moscavide was never administered by it, and the area that was supposed to be withdrawn from the parish of Sacavém has not been so for several decades: until the beginning of the
Expo '98 project, they were administered by the
Port of Lisbon; thereafter, they had been under the administration of
Parque Expo, S.A. are a frequent sight in the parish, here depicted near the Marina On the other hand, such desire is generally rejected by the inhabitants of Sacavém and Moscavide (however, only those residing outside the territory of Parque das Nações). At the level of local administration, the municipality of Loures fears losing revenue from municipal taxes paid by the inhabitants of the Parque das Nações area with the creation of the parish, as well as being deprived of more territory (already in 1998, with the secession of
Odivelas to form a new municipality, the municipality of Loures was significantly reduced). In Sacavém, the parish assembly unanimously voted on a non-binding motion unfavorable to the creation of such parish. The president of the Moscavide parish council only agrees with the creation of the parish if it were to be integrated into the municipality of Loures (this proposal does not find resonance among the population of Parque das Nações, as the Expo and the Park are developments of the city of Lisbon). Lastly, the mayor of Santa Maria dos Olivais has also publicly expressed disagreement with the possible fragmentation of territory within his parish. All parties represented in the
Municipal Assembly of Lisbon advocated for the integration of the territory earmarked for the Oriente parish into the municipality of Lisbon. However, some advocated for the integration of the same territory into the Santa Maria dos Olivais parish, which would allow for the incorporation of Parque das Nações into a single parish without creating new structures, merely adjusting the boundary of Lisbon to include the area currently belonging to the municipality of Loures. There was also a proposal for the creation of a new municipality that would encompass Parque das Nações and the parishes of Moscavide, Santa Maria dos Olivais, and Portela. Several possible names for the new municipality were suggested, including
Oriente,
Vasco da Gama, and
Foz do Tejo. ==Marina==