PRESIDENT OF Lisbon Câmara, Carmona Rodrigues, switched on the city’s Christmas illuminations in Rossio Square on November 25.
Despite the budget being the same as last year (1.2 million euros), the city’s main squares and streets were lit by 2.5 million lamps.
During the ceremony at 6pm, the president stressed the importance of the Christmas lights in attracting shoppers and tourists to the shopping districts in the downtown Baixa area and Avenida da Liberdade.
At 9pm the country’s largest Christmas tree was illuminated. The Millennium BCP Tree stands at 75 metres – the equivalent of a 25 floor office block and can be seen until January 7.
In a year of energy saving, the company responsible for this year’s Christmas lights predicts that between November 25 and January 6, around 885kw of energy will be burnt each hour.
The câmara says it is concerned with this type of energy consumption and has chosen lighting using LED technology, allowing for considerable energy savings thanks to incandescent lamp technology.
The Christmas lights will illuminate the city on weekdays and Sundays between 5.30pm and midnight and 5.30pm to 3am on Saturdays and New Year’s Eve/ Day until January 6.
