In the early 18th century , gold from Brazil allowed King John V to sponsor the building of several Baroque churches and theatres in the city . Prior to the 18th century , Lisbon had experienced several significant earthquakes – eight in the 14th century , five in the 16th century ( including the 1531 earthquake that destroyed 1,500 houses and the 1597 earthquake in which three streets vanished ) , and three in the 17th century . On 1 November 1755 , the city was destroyed by another devastating earthquake , which killed an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Lisbon residents of a population estimated at between 200,000 and 275,000 , and destroyed 85 percent of the city 's structures . Among several important buildings of the city , the Ribeira Palace and the Hospital Real de Todos os Santos were lost . In coastal areas , such as Peniche , situated about north of Lisbon , many people were killed by the following tsunami
1531 earthquake
1531 Lisbon earthquake
Lisbon