The Carnation Revolution
Red carnations placed in soldiers’ rifles during Portugal’s Carnation Revolution in Lisbon on 25 April 1974, symbolising a peaceful uprising and the birth of democracy.
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This is one of the most important days in modern Portuguese history, famous for toppling the Estado Novo authoritarian government and ending fascism in Portugal with barely any violence. The coup was led by the country’s military and took place in Lisbon in 1974. It also led to a new democracy and was nicknamed the ‘Carnation Revolution’.
The revolution was undertaken by young army officers who took less than 24 hours to bring down Europe’s longest dictatorship - nearly five decades from 1926 to 1974. The military forces quickly overwhelmed the government, sparking spontaneous demonstrations in the street where civilians ran out to mingle with the soldiers, despite being ordered to stay inside.
At the time, a local restaurant was about to celebrate an anniversary and had stocked up on red and white carnations to hand out to customers. Celeste Caeiro, worked in the restaurant and she handed out the carnations to soldiers who placed them in their gun barrels, signalling a peaceful uprising. She became known as "Celeste dos Cravos" (Celeste of the Carnations), as she unexpectedly sparked the symbol of Portugal's Carnation Revolution.
Many said the atmosphere was more like a party, and the Portuguese people are still immensely proud of how this day transformed society. The coup brought democracy and civil liberties to the Portuguese people and the withdrawal of Portugal from its African colonies.
Freedom Day – ‘Dia da Liberdade’ has become a public holiday celebrated nationwide, especially in Lisbon. It is also remembered in more than 1,150 streets, avenues and plazas called ‘25 de Abril’, and the former Salazar Bridge, which crosses the river Tejo in Lisbon, was renamed ‘Ponte 25 de Abril’.
Portugal is renowned for being a peaceful country, ranking 7th place in the latest Global Peace Index. To find out how easy it is to invest in a home here, contact us:
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Published in: Guide to Portugal / Miscellaneous / Portuguese Life