Standing in the centre of the now lively Cais do Sodré in Lisbon, the bronze statue of the Duke of Terceira watches over a square that connects Lisbon. António José de Sousa Manuel de Meneses, the first Duke, was a central figure in the Liberal Wars, and the monument commemorates a specific turning point in history: 24 July 1833. This was the day his constitutionalist forces marched into Lisbon, effectively ending the absolute rule of D. Miguel.

Inaugurated in 1877, on the 44th anniversary of that entry, the statue by José Simões de Almeida depicts the Duke in full military attire. It’s a commanding figure that replaced a far humbler landmark—a simple sundial. Today, the Duke stands surrounded by the growing glamour of modern Lisbon, a silent witness to the city’s transitions.