Penha de França

Penha de França is a freguesia (civil parish) and typical quarter of Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. Located in the historic center of Lisbon, Penha de França is north of São Vicente, east of Arroios, south of Areeiro, and west of Beato. The population in 2021 was 28,475.

History
The Madre de Deus Convent was founded in 1509 by Queen Leonor of Viseu, wife of D. João II.

On the other hand, the Convent of Penha de França, founded in 1598, lends its name to this parish. Its territory originated from medieval parishes: Santo Estêvão de Alfama, Santa Justa, and Olivais, within Lisbon's jurisdiction. Perched at 110 meters above sea level, it offers sweeping city views. It also houses works by Portuguese painter Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho, as well as being a resting place for many members of the Portuguese nobility, such as D. Inês de Távora, wife of Francisco de Távora. In 1609, another convent was built, Santos-o-Novo, near the banks of the river Tagus. The structure was erected where once stood the monastery dating from 1470, built under the reign of D. João II. Penha de França's traditions include the "Procissão do Ferrolho" (lit. Bolt Procession) a nighttime event where doors were knocked with a ferrolho (latch) to awaken the devout.

In the 16th century, residential areas emerged around the convents, the Royal Palace, and the Mitra Palace (in Beato). In the 17th century, development centered around the Church of Penha de França and the Convent (now the General Command of the PSP, - Polícia de Segurança Pública).

The 1755 earthquake led to the abandonment of many estates (Pina, Coxo, and Bacalhau, among others) and manors (Gadanho, Peixinhos, Alto da Eira, Santo António, and Machada) who were built in the area by Portuguese nobility. Commissioned by Queen Maria II in 1833 following a cholera epidemic in Lisbon, the Alto de São João Cemetery served as the city's cemetery for over a century, honoring its most distinguished figures.

In the 19th century, factories sprang up in the valleys of Chelas and Xabregas, although the parish as a whole maintained a rustic character, especially in the areas far from the river. In fact, it remained a favored area for Lisbon residents to stroll, as described by Almeida Garrett in his 1846 work "Viagens na Minha Terra" (lit. Travels through my land).

In its current territory, spanning from the Tagus River to the Penha de França hill, there have been populated areas for centuries along the riverbanks near the convents of Madre de Deus and Santos-o-Novo and around the Penha de França hermitage, later becoming a convent with the same name (now the General Command of the PSP). Despite these settlements, until the late 19th to early 20th centuries, the area remained predominantly rural, situated on the outskirts of Lisbon, characterized by open fields, vegetable gardens, estates, summer residences, and monasteries.

In 1854, the Viaduto de Xabregas, serving Linha do Norte—the most important railway line in Portugal—was built. The structure consists of two sections - one with stone arches and the other with metal beams. The metal section, built in 1854 and designed by John Sutherland and Valentine C. L., had a span of 15.60 meters, while the stone arch section is about 36 meters long. The metal beams were replaced in 1954. In 1857, Portuguese Romantic artist Tomás da Anunciação painted Vista da Penha de França, a notable landscape painting housed in the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The work contributed to Anunciação's appointment as a permanent professor. The painting depicts a rural view of mid-19th-century Lisbon, highlighting the old convent on the hill of Penha de França, framed by trees, oxen, and a peasant woman. It was part of the former National Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology's collection since 1884.

In 1891 the former Caracol da Penha was renamed Rua Marques da Silva to honor João Marques da Silva, a local merchant who contributed to its expansion. It is one of the oldest streets in the parish, having been known as Calçada da Penha de França since at least 1710.

In 1912, Vila Cândida, constituted of 140 apartments across 35 two-story buildings and constructed by Cândido Sotto Mayor, was built. The vila would be later be given by Elsa Sotto Mayor Matos to the dwellers in 1974, following the revolution.

In 1916 the former "Travessa do Caracol da Penha" was renamed Rua dos Heróis de Quionga (lit. Quionga heroes street) to commemorate the fighters who, during World War I, recaptured the Quionga (Mozambique) post and the Quionga Triangle from the Germans at the mouth of the Rovuma River in Mozambique. In fact, during the war, around 7,500 Portuguese soldier died in the African front.

On April 13, 1918, the freguesia of Penha de França was officially created, with areas ceded by the neighbouring parishes of Beato, Santa Engrácia, and São Jorge de Arroios. The name of the parish comes from its patron saint, Our Lady of Penha de França. On the first census, the parish (that at the time also comprised Alto da Pina, now part of Areeiro) had a population of 12,555 of whom 1.12% were foreigners, 51.75% were females and 52.97% were literate. In the 1920s the neighbourhoods of Andrade, Inglaterra (lit. England) and Colónias (lit. colonies) were built. The "English neighbourhood's" name is due to it hosting many streets named after English cities such as Manchester, while the "Colonies' neighbourhood" is named after its streets, reminding names of former Portuguese colonies, such as Timor. On the other hand, Andrade is a Portuguese surname and the neighbourhood owes its name to the family of the entrepreneur who urbanised that part of the city, naming the streets after his wife and daughters.

In 1925, the country's first crematorium was built in the parish. Since 1929 an EPAL warehouse has been present in the Miradouro da Penha de França.  In 1930, the Avenida General Roçadas was named after José Augusto Alves Roçadas, officer of the Portuguese Army and a colonial administrator. It is one of the main avenues of the parish and on its side is located one of the largest workers' villages in Lisbon: Vila Cândida, dating from the late 19th century. In the same year, the census of the population recorded 22,226 inhabitants in the parish, a +77.03% increase since 1920. Amongst residents, 1.27% were foreigners, 55.01% were females and 58.17% were literate.

In 1933, with the continuous expansion of the parish, that registered a demographic growth of +73.02% between 1930 and 1940, the Avenida Afonso III (lit. Afonso III avenue) opened to the public.

In 1935 the Quartel da Penha de França was the site of an attempted revolt against Salazar's regime by the Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista, a fascist (as defined by Stanley G. Payne) movement. After the failed coup, the movement's leader Francisco Rolão Preto was exiled and fought in the Spanish Civil War on Francisco Franco's side.

According to the 1940 census, the parish had 38,455 inhabitants, a +73.02% increase since 1930. Amongst residents, 1.27% were foreigners, 52.48% were females and 67.42% were literate. Moreover, according to the census (the only one since 1900 inquiring about religion), 83.83% of the population was catholic (86.05% in Lisbon). Interestingly, as of 2021 881 residential buildings (or 36.33% of the parish's total buildings used for residential purposes) were built between 1919 and 1945, coinciding with the demographic boom of this area of Lisbon. In 1943 the Regimento de Artilharia Antiaérea N.º 1 was created in the parish. It is the unit within the Vista da Penha de França with the mission of organizing, training, and maintaining the operational anti-aircraft artillery units of the Portuguese Army. It was later (1948) transferred to Queluz, where it has been hosted ever since, in barracks adjacent to the Palace of Queluz.

In 1948 the Avenida Infante Dom Henrique (Lisbon) (lit. Prince Henry the Navigator avenue) opened. It is the largest avenue in Lisbon, stretching for 12 km along the river and passing through 7 parishes, amongst which there is also Penha de França.

In the 1950 census was the last before the 1959 division of the parish in three separate entities, respectively Alto do Pina, São João and Penha de França. According to the said census, the parish had 48,035 inhabitants, a +24.91% increase since 1930. Amongst residents, 1.27% were foreigners, 53.16% were females and 72.88% were literate. Moreover, according to the census, 90.09% of the population was catholic (93.14% in Lisbon), an increase since 1940. With a surface of little over 3 km2 the population density of the parish, whose population had increased by +282.6% from 1920 to 1950, stood at around 15,700 inhabitants per square kilometer, that is, almost 20 times the population density recorded for Hong Kong in 1950.

In 1959 the area of the parish was reduced in order to create the parishes of Alto do Pina and São João.

In 1960 João Lopes Holtreman establishes his first business in the parish of Penha de França, opening the "Dois Mundos" bookshop. The parish houses the National Museum of the Azulejo since 1965 in the Madre de Deus Convent. One of the last marriages celebrated in the church prior to its transformation into a museum was the one between businessman and billionaire Alexandre Soares dos Santos and Maria Teresa Canas Mendes da Silveira e Castro, in 1957.



To answer to the call for more government-fund houses after a surge in shanty towns, two residential towers, known as Torres do Alto da Eira, were built in 1973. The two towers housed people coming from nearby slums that had emerged during the 60s. The towers were designed by architects Francisco Silva Dias and Antonieta Silva Dias, they house 370 people in 132 dwellings and are still owned by the municipality, the residents pay a controlled rent of €52.14 per month. Due to very poor maintenance, the two towers faced the risk of being demolished in 2008 but were later deemed to be recoverable: in 2012 the city council of Lisbon invested 4.5 million euros (€) for the total rehabilitation of the dwellings and of the surrounding areas.



In 1975 a fire killed two people in the shanty town of Curraleira. Hosting a large Romani community and located on the eastern border of the parish (in the portion formerly part of São João), 69 shacks were also destroyed. In 2018 and 2023 two murals were painted to remember the accident. After the fire, no barracks were built in the area where the accident took place and a memorial cross was erected to honour the victim's memory. It was also in 1975 that some families built the Bairro do Horizonte, a self-built neighbourhood whose conditions were far better than the ones of those living in the sheds.

In 1976, following a period of political instability and the independence of the last Portuguese colonies (namely Angola and Mozambique), Tinturaria Portugália failed. It had been established in the late XIX century and was one of the first industries to close in Penha de França. Due to bankruptcy or relocation outside the city's boundaries, all major industries would end up leaving Penha de França by 2000. In 1983 the Rotunda das Olaias (lit. Olaias roundabout) opened and in 1985 the crematorium in the Alto de São João Cemetery was reopened, after being closed due to political pressures in 1936. Many people have been cremated here ever since, including Nobel Literature laureate José Saramago, Álvaro Cunhal and Sónia Neves.

In 1998 was built the Viaduto de Santa Apolónia, to better organise the traffic between the waterfront and the inner part of the parish, being the two divided by the railway line "Linha do Norte".



To eradicate shacks and provide everyone with access to tap water, electricity and sanitation, from 1993 the PER (Programa Especial de Realojamento) was implemented. It was estimated that in 1993 almost 40,000 people lived in shanty towns in Lisbon (or 9.1% of the city population). Between 1993 and the early 2000 more than 32,000 families and more than 132,000 people were relocated across the whole country, almost 1,000 slums were destroyed across 28 municipalities and almost 35,000 government-fund dwellings were built. In particular, in Lisbon were built more than 9,000 public dwellings totaling an investment of over 600 million euros (€). Penha de França was heavily interested by the PER and it is estimated that the two neighbourhoods of Quinta do Lavrado and Bairro do Vale de Santo António, built between 2000 and 2001, house around 3,000 people, or more than 10% of the total population of the parish. In Penha de França were identified 1,511 families living in shacks in 1993: by 2001 the overwhelming majority had been relocated to public housing built in the late nineties-early 2000s. As of 2013 only 30 families were recorded as living in shacks in the areas designated as shanty towns in the 1993 inquiry.

Starting from 2000 around 860 families were relocated in the newly built neighbourhood of Bairro do Vale de Santo António (lit. Saint Anthony valley neighbourhood) from the shanty towns of Quinta dos Peixinhos, Calçada dos Barbadinhos, Quinta do Gadanho, Vale Escuro, Quinta Júlio Moreira and Alto da Eira. The complex was finished in 2000 and comprises 58 buildings hosting 744 dwellings. There are 2,083 estimated dwellers, with each family paying a controlled rent of €95.71 per month. The shanty towns were completely demolished shortly after the relocation was completed. There were also cases of families relocated elsewhere, such as people from Quinta dos Peixinhos being given a home in Algueirão-Mem Martins.



In November 2001 Curraleira neighbourhood was demolished. It was a shanty town hosting around 560 families until the late nineties whose first inhabitants arrived in the 1930s but which experienced significant growth only after 1960, when a source of drinking water was installed in the neighbourhood. According to 1992 estimates, there were still 2,500 people living in the shanty town, occupying around 800 sheds. The slum suffered from lack of most basic amenities such as tap water or access to electricity and many children were not enrolled in any educational system, there was also high need of social aids, often insufficient and thus integrated thanks to cooperatives. It was also a major hub for drug smuggling in Lisbon, a city that in the 90s, like many other major urban centers such as Zurich, New York or Frankfurt, dealt with a surge in heroin and cocaine consumption. Comprising makeshift dwellings of wood, zinc, and masonry, lacking basic amenities, the area was classified as Priority Neighborhoods and Intervention Areas by the Lisbon City Council and were part of the EU's USER program for urban regeneration. The last fire, which destroyed 4 shacks, occurred in July 2001, underlining the importance of an immediate relocation of the residents. Most families were relocated to public housing projects nearby, notably the neighbourhood of Quinta do Lavrado composed of 263 apartments over 10 buildings, completed in 2001. Many of the apartments are reportedly overcrowded, hosting around 1,000 people as of 2023. Some residents were also relocated to social housing in Picheleira Starting from 2018, many charitable foundations as well as associations established by local inhabitants (e.g. Geração com Futuro) has sponsored the renewal of the neighbourhood, trying to separate the name from the social stigma it carried in the Nineties.



In 2009, to celebrate the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, 27 trees were planted in a roundabout in the parish, symbolizing the then 27 EU countries.

With the 2012 Administrative Reform, the parish of São João merged with Penha de França and the new and larger parish kept its name. In particular, the parish nearly quadrupled its area and more than doubled its population, incorporating the territory of the former parish of São João and a small strip of land previously belonging to the parish of Beato.

In 2014 were demolished the dovecotes of the ancient Curraleira neighbourhood to build the EDP/REN Substation in Alto de São João. They were used to train carrier pigeons. In 2020 opened in the parish 42 Lisboa, the first facility offering higher education within the parish. It is an innovative school part of a wider international network and, although private, is entirely funded by sponsors as no fees are charged to students before, during, or after the program.

In 2018 new spaces were added to Penha de França library, that now counts well over 5,000 books open to public consultation. The following year (2019) the new bus line 37B began its circulation in the parish, connecting it to neighbouring Beato and "Street fest festival" was hosted in Alameda for a total of 9 days.

In 2021 the 10th edition of Jazz na Praça (lit. Jazz in the square), a Jazz music festival, was celebrated, contributing to the cultural enrichment of the parish. The event was later renamed Penha Jazz starting from 2022. Other initiatives carried out in the same period include a new parking place for up to 160 cars in Mouzinho Albuquerque avenue as well as the renovation and complete refurbishment of EB Arquitecto Victor Palla.



In 2022, a new parking lot for 125 vehicles was opened to face the high demand of parking places. Over 400 additional parking spaces were created since. In the same year, the Filipino community choose for the first time the parish of Penha de França to celebrate its independence from Spain. Also, in July was created, with the help of volunteers as well as with the participation of members from all walks of life, the "biggest street art work" in Portugal, consisting in decorating 3.8 km of the wall separating the bike lane in Avenida Infante D.Henrique from the port of Lisbon.

In 2023 the parish hosted the Regador Festival, aiming at increasing green spaces in the area. In the same year the new garden of Caracol da Penha opened. In August 2023, 170 volunteers were mobilised in the parish to help the pilgrims hosted in local institutions for the JMJ (World Youth Day 2023).

In 2024 is expected to open a new public health centre, Unidade de Saude de Sapadores-Graça, serving around 15,000 people.

Historical resident population (before the 2012 Administrative Reform)


The resident population recorded according to Censuses carried over the years is shown in the following tables for both parishes that today constitute Penha de França. It is noteworthy that the ancient parish of Penha de França lost 15,640 people from 1960 to 2011 or 55.03% of its 1960 population, not having recorded a single population gain since 1960. Similarly, the ancient parish of São João lost 17,279 people or 53.22% of its population from 1960 to 2011, with major population losses recorded in the nineties (-22.3%).

Current resident population (before the 2012 Administrative Reform)
In the 2021 Portuguese Census was recorded the first demographic growth of the parish since 1960. In particular, from 2011 to 2021 the parish gained 508 people, recording a growth of +1.82%.

Demographic statistics

 * Age

The last censuses show that the parish's population is ageing at a fast pace: in 2021 19.91% of the population was below 25 and, at the same time, almost a quarter (23.12%) of the residents was 65 or older.


 * Religion

The parish is predominantly catholic and 64.71% of the population aged 15 or above are followers of a Christian or Jeovah's Witness denomination as of 2021.

Interestingly, around 29% of the population does not practice a religion and is thus non religious.

The presence of minor religions such as Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism (5.55% of the population amongst the three) is probably due to an increasing community of people coming from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Nepal.
 * Immigration

In 2021, 14.93% of the population of the parish was constituted by foreigners. In particular, amongst men foreigners were 17.34% of the total. This means that in Penha de França there are 4,250 resident foreigners, a sharp increase from 2011, when there were 2,522 resident foreigners (9.02%). Since the foreign population increased by 1,728 people from 2011 to 2021 and given that the total population of the parish increased by 508 units in the same timespan, it is noteworthy that the total population would have decreased for the sixth census in a row were it not for the increase in immigration. The largest group of foreigners is constituted by the Brazilians (1,359 people or +14.11% since 2011) and people from the Indian Subcontinent, most notably Nepalis and Bangladeshis, totaling 1,159 people, or recording an increase of +585.8% since 2011. Moreover, in 2021 around a third of the pupils attending government-fund schools in the parish held a foreign nationality.

Dealing with the foreign-born population, 21.16% of the parish's population was born abroad as of 2021. The most common countries of birth were Brazil (1,843 people), the Indian Subcontinent (1,163 people) and PALOP countries (1,053 people). Of the Portuguese nationals born abroad, the most common countries of birth were PALOP countries (807 people) and Brazil (523 people), all countries having ancient historical ties with Portugal as well as a rooted migration history towards the country, and who are, thus, more likely to have acquired Portuguese citizenship along the years.

Moreover, as of 2021 in the parish there were 4,564 people who have entered Portugal after 2010, constituting 16.03% of the population. Of those with recent migrant background, 11.3% were Portuguese nationals returning from a period of emigration abroad.

Amongst the Portuguese, 3,970 had already lived abroad as of 2021 (16.4% of the Portuguese population). The majority of those having lived in Angola and Mozambique (978 people) entered Portugal in the Seventies (637 people or 65.13%), following the independence of the two former colonies (so called retornados). Those coming from countries hosting large Portuguese emigrant communities such as France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg or Belgium (871 people) have mostly entered Portugal after 1991 (77.3%), probably due to the development of the Portuguese economy since its accession to the EU. Interestingly, 41% of the Portuguese nationals having lived in the UK and residing in the parish, has left the UK after 2016, (date of the Brexit referendum).

If the whole population (regardless of the nationality held) is taken into account, then 27.6% of the parish's population has already lived abroad for at least one year as of 2021, with Brazil, EU countries and Indian Subcontinent being the most commonly cited countries of previous residence.

In 2023 the parish started a new service consisting in phone assistance to migrants who do not yet speak Portuguese, offering them the possibility to ask for information in their own languages. In addition, free Portuguese language courses were also introduced in 2023.

Educational attainment of the resident population


According to the last census (2021) in Penha de França the proportion of people aged 15–24 having completed the terceiro ciclo do ensino básico (schooling up to age 14) and currently not enrolled in the educational system was roughly 43.91%, with almost half of males aged 15–24 not in education. The proportion of youth in the abovementioned situation is considerably higher in Penha de França than Lisbon as a whole (35.06%).

In the same year, in the parish there were still 550 illiterate residents, of whom 68% were females. The proportion of residents who lacks basic literary skills has been steadily decreasing and as of 2021 stood at 2.08%; for comparison, it stood at 3.19% 10 years earlier (2011 census). The decrease in the number of illiterate people is probably due to the progressive ageing and subsequent death of the older generations, that in Portugal form the overwhelming majority of illiterates.

In fact, the educational attainment of the resident population increases in younger generations. Of those aged 15 or more not having a qualification – meaning that they did not complete even basic schooling up to age 9 or primeiro ciclo - 571 (or 44.3% of the total) were older than 65; amongst those aged 15–34 the people in the same condition were 261 or 20.9% of the total of those holding no qualifications. Moreover, the proportion of those not holding any qualification (5.07%) or having completed schooling only up to 14 (36.55%) were significantly lower for those aged 15–34 (respectively 3.49% and 21.3%) than for those 65 or older (respectively 8.67% and 68.22%). Regardless of age, the proportion of those having completed education at least up to 14 years old stood at 73.93% for Penha de França parish, lower than the value recorded for Lisbon (77.21%). The proportion of those having studied up to 17 years old thus completing the secondary school stood at 59.53% regardless of age, an increase of 17 points (or +39.2%) from 2011 data. The improvement in education attainment indicators for the populations also means that the proportion of those who have not completed any educational step has decreased to 5.07% regardless of age (Lisbon as a whole: 4.24%).

Employment


In the parish of Penha de França there are 1,467 residents who, as of 2021, were unemployed. Of these, 41.58% received a state-fund subsidy or pension (41.34% in Lisbon). In 2021 the unemployment rate in the parish is considerably higher than the one recorded for Lisbon and for Portugal as a whole, standing at 10.19%. In the same year, Portugal as a whole had an unemployment rate of 8.13% that has progressively decreased to 6.1% in 2023. As the statistics dealing with unemployment at the parish level are available only every 10 years, the current (2023) unemployment rate in Penha de França is unknown. Amongst youth aged 15–24 the unemployment rate in 2021 in the Parish stood at 20.84%, 11.6% higher than in the rest of the country.

On the other hand, in 2021 12,926 residents were employed, of which 72.44% were employees and 12.32% were independent workers. Below is the table showing the employment rate per age group. The low share of people aged 20–24 employed is due to the fact that many are still in education (e.g. university) while the low proportion of those in employment aged 60–64 is due to many being early pensioners. Dealing with commuting, the residents of Penha de França spent 25.16 minutes of daily commuting, 3 minutes more than the average inhabitant of Lisbon.

Social conditions


Dealing with overcrowding in the parish's households, 12.74% of the population lives in accommodations where they have less than 15 m2 per capita (8.71% for Lisbon and 5.65% in Portugal as a whole), while 29.73% live in houses with more than 40 m2 per capita (39.64% for Lisbon and 46.84% in Portugal as a whole). There are 6,535.1 dwellings per km2 (3,200.5 for Lisbon and 64.9 in Portugal as a whole).

43.3% of the population lives in owned dwellings as of 2021; this is significantly lower than the values recorded both for Lisbon (50.3%) and for Portugal (70%). The average height of a residential building in Penha de França is 3.9 as of 2021 and the average area of a dwelling stands at 75.12 m2 (with the average in Lisbon-city 93.07 m2 being and in Portugal 112.45 m2).

The average monthly rent value of leased dwellings recorded in 2021 stood at €442.56, 6.01% lower than the Lisbon average in the same year (€470.87). It is nonetheless important to notice that the value of the rents is quite low because of many contracts stipulated decades ago, with 20.02% (25.34% in Lisbon) of the dwellers paying less than €150/month because of the rent-freezing system that was adopted in Portugal in the late XX century, allowing that many people, now mostly elders, do not have to pay high rents. Due to the housing crisis and inflation, in 2023 the average rent for new contracts (frozen contracts are not concerned) stood in fact at almost €13/m2 in Penha de França, meaning that for the average 75.12 m2 dwelling are necessary almost €1,000/month.



Dealing with housing prices, it is interesting to remark that if the median price per m2 stood at €1,364 for a house sold in early 2016, this value had risen to €2,849/m2 in early 2021 and to 3,519 in 2023, experiencing a growth of +157.99% in just 7 years. In the same period the growth of house priced per m2 in Lisbon as a whole was +117.6%, from 1,875 to €4,080/m2. Of the 2,425 residential buildings listed in the parish, 9.65% were built before 1919, 61.53% from 1919 to 1960, 19.92% from 1961 to 1990, 4.33% from 1990 to 2000 and 2.76% after 2001. Of the buildings built before 1919 82.05% had 1 to 3 floors, while in buildings built between 1981 and 2010 the proportion of buildings with 6 stories or more is 49.68%. Interestingly, the newer and higher the building the higher the probability of it being served by an elevator. For homes built before 1946, only 3.41% have access to an elevator as of 2021; this percentage ascends to 66.98% for buildings dating from 1981 to 2010. Always with regard to amenities, 11.52% of the houses had access to air conditioning (20.98% in Lisbon), 62.92% to heating (69.62% in Lisbon) and 13.18% to a parking place (28.04% in Lisbon).



As of 2021 there were 2,867 vacant dwelling in the parish. Of the vacant dwellings, 1,485 are vacant for rental or with the purpose of being sold, while 1,382 are vacant for other reasons, often abandoned, awaiting their demolition or because a reason for conflict among heirs. Moreover, as of 2023 642 apartments are registered as "Alojamento Local", meaning they have the license to be rent on platforms such as Booking.com or Airbnb.

In the parish were also recorded 21 homeless people, of which 17 (81%) were males. The parish is actively promoting initiatives aiming at helping people in situation of permanent of temporal homelessness since 1999 with the creation of the Albergue Xabregas, through which around 500 people pass every year and providing a shooting room, helping drug addicts to recover from their addiction (sala de chuto). Other entities offering support to the population is the Associação para a Saúde e Desenvolvimento Solidário and the Mercearia Social da Penha de França, established in 2017. With the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, aid to the resident population was enhanced and from March 2020 to May 2021 around 430 people received extra financial aid. Moreover, almost 1,500 people were assisted in finding an occupation or in being inserted in a process of professional training.

Landmarks



 * Alto de São João Cemetery: Including the Jazigo Viscondes de Valmor, it was established in 1833 during a cholera epidemic it was located in the rural outskirts and holds a diverse history. Its architecture includes works by renowned architects and anonymous builders. The cemetery pays tribute to Republican revolutionaries, features mausoleums dedicated to benefactors and women activists, and housed Portugal's first crematorium in 1925, later reactivated in 1985. People buried here include Miguel Vaz de Almada and José António do Vale. The Cemetery also hosts a church (Igreja do Cemitério do Alto de São João).
 * Chafariz da Avenida Afonso III: Ancient fountain
 * Chafariz da Penha de França: 1870 fountain
 * Chafariz do Alto do Pina: Ancient fountain
 * Edifício na Rua dos Baldaques, 13: Building from 1932 that won the Eugénio dos Santos architecture prize
 * Fernando Correia Martins monument: A 2019 memorial monument
 * Fort Santa Apolónia or Baluarte de Santa Apolónia: built between 1652 and 1668, defended the eastern part of Lisbon. Its pentagonal design, facing east and west, includes well-preserved features like masonry walls, watchtowers, and gates. Classified as a Property of Public Interest, it was part of a riverside defensive line. In 2021 it was provided with a new system of wooden ladders so as to make the access easier.
 * Forte de Santa Apolónia geomonumento: In the Middle Miocene, the area around Lisbon served as an estuary for a major river, where fresh water mingled with the saltwater from the sea. Within this transitional setting, abundant in organic material, substantial populations of Gryphaea gryphoides oysters took root, with some of these oysters growing to impressive lengths of up to 40 cm.
 * Igreja Paroquial de São Francisco de Assis: Church inaugurated in 1959
 * Igreja São João Evangelista: Catholic church inaugurated in 1989
 * Jewish Cemitery: In 1868, King D. Luís granted Lisbon's Jews permission to establish the Calçada das Lages Cemetery (now Afonso III), still the main burial site for the Lisbon Jewish Community. In 1892, the Civil Government Charter ratified the statutes of the "Guemilut Hassadim Association," offering aid in times of need and funerals, founded by Moses Anahory. Currently, around 270 people are buried there.
 * Madre de Deus Convent and church: Founded in 1509 by Queen D. Leonor, the Convent showcases diverse architectural styles, including Mudéjar, Manueline, Mannerist, Baroque, and Revivalist. It houses the National Tile Museum, displaying a rich collection of tiles from various eras. The church's simple façade features a notable 19th-century Neo-Manueline portal. Inside, the single nave is adorned with 18th-century historical azulejos depicting the life of St. Francis, and the main chapel and choir boast 16th-century paintings framed in gilt woodwork
 * Miradouro da Penha de França: An unforgettable view encompasses both the Tagus Valley, where the horizon meets the Atlantic Ocean, and the opposite direction, offering a glimpse of Alto de São João and much of both riverbanks. To the north, the distant presence of the Sintra Mountain Range can be seen
 * National Museum of the Azulejo: Housed in the Convent of the Mother of God, this museum showcases Portuguese azulejos from the 15th to the 20th century, including notable pieces like the Altarpiece of Our Lady of Life and modern works
 * Nossa Senhora da Penha de França Church and convent: The first chapel with this dedication emerged following a vow made by the visionary António Simões after the Battle of Alcácer Quibir. Construction began in 1597–98. In 1601, it was handed over to the Augustinian hermits. Between 1625 and 1635, a new temple was built to replace the previous one. It underwent several renovations, notably in the 18th century. It houses many notable azulejos. In the late XX century was created a chapel (Capela de São João Baptista) located in Avenida Eduardo Galhardo, to better serve the parishioners during the weekends.
 * Painel de azulejos na fachada da Escola António Arroio: A 1999 polychrome tile panel, 1180 cm × 900 cm, by Master Querubim Lapa, graces the exterior façade of António Arroio School. It features a deconstructed, abstract design with vibrant contrasts
 * Palace Diogo Cão (Palácio Diogo Cão): Currently housing the Junta de Freguesia. It is a house dating from the XVIII century, whose origins lie in the XV century but that was later restored after the 1755 earthquake.
 * Palace of the Marquises of Nisa: Founded in 1543 by D. Francisco da Câmara, the second Count of Vidigueira, this building passed through various owners, including descendants of Vasco da Gama in 1634. It returned to the possession of the Marquises of Nisa in 1672 and underwent significant improvements at that time. Altered substantially from its original structure, both by the earthquake and the interventions of successive owners, it was sold to the Misericórdia de Lisboa in 1926
 * Priorado de São Pio X: Catholich church
 * Santos-o-Novo convent: Built in the early 17th century for the Order of Santiago, this imposing structure survived partial destruction in the 1755 earthquake. It includes a vast cloister, ornate chapels, and gilded woodwork

Culture


The parish hosts the Portuguese Camping and Mountaineering Federation and, on a bimestral basis, hosts the Penha de França Theme Fair.

The parish features also three public libraries - with the last one being opened in 2015 - many cultural associations such as "Os fidalgos da Penha", Penha SCO (established in 2019) or "A goela" (established in 2015) a large municipal market, Ginásio do Alto do Pina (established in 1911) and art galleries. Moreover, the parish organises periodical workshops or cultural events, most notably in the main library. There are also often partnerships with local cultural institutions as well as with museums.

Penha de França is also very active with regards to Marchas Populares, an event celebrating Portuguese Midsummer in which teams that dress up with handmade outfits to march and dance through an open avenue or closed arena to the sound of popular music, mixing motifs of Portuguese summer culture, like "manjerico" and the sea. Penha de França participates with two teams, the homonymous "Penha de França" and "Alto da Pina".

It is also noteworthy to mention that a picture produced in the parish entered the Venice Film Festival in 2023.

The parish hosts many cultural events throughout the year and incentives cultural initiatives. For instance, it also created its very own superhero "Super Penhas" so as to involve kids. A noteworthy social activity annually held by the parish is the Gastromomic competition "Penha à mesa", lasting around 10 days in July.

Sport
The parish holds active life in high regard and has organised many initiatives aiming at promoting a healthy lifestyle amongst the residents.

There are several sports facilities including:


 * Espaço Multiuso: a parish-owned space offering multiple sports courses along the year
 * Piscina da Penha de França: a swimming pool dating from 1960, 12 m wide and 25 m long. It was closed in 2011 for intensive works and reopened in 2021, after an €800,000 investment.

Health
Residents of Penha de França can access medical specialties provided at the parish's Medical Center, as well as nursing support. Moreover 8 pharmacies (2.8 every 10,000 residents) and a SNS counter are also found in Penha de França.

In 2024 is envisioned the inauguration of the new "Unidade de saúde de Sapadores-Graça", a model of organization that integrates hospital centers, hospitals, and groups of health centers within a geographical area. It will have a capacity of approximately 15,200 people.

Gardens and parks


The parish hosts several green spaces, notably: Moreover, 9 streets host garden benches and recreational areas.
 * Jardim da Praça Paiva Couceiro: 1950s garden with a children's playground, a public restroom and an esplanade, spanning over around 5,000 m2.
 * Jardim da Praça António Sardinha: garden with a children's playground, spanning over around 2,000 m2.
 * Jardim Bulhão Pato: garden with a children's playground, spanning over around 1,500 m2.
 * Jardim do Caracol da Penha: Hosting an amphitheatre, a viewpoint, a sports park and a children's playground, the park was opened in 2023. It spans over 1 Ha and hosts 25,000 species of small plants as well as having approximately 250 trees.

Transportation
The parish is served by a vast network of public transportation means, including tramway and buses.

Tramway

Penha de França is amongst the parishes served by tram 28E, one of the most renown tourist attractions in Lisbon. Two of its 35 stops are located in the parish: Rua Angelina Vidal and Sapadores.

As of 2023, there were plans for a new line connecting Santa Apolónia to Amadora, passing through Penha the França and serving the parish with 4 stops. Still, there are no definite plans nor dates for the start of the construction.

Bus

The bus network is quite extended and encompasses most of the parish's streets.

Train

Although there is a train line passing through the parish, dividing the river banks (where part of the port of Lisbon is located) from the rest of the parish, there are no train stops in Penha de França. In fact, there are only two ways through which going to the riverfront from the rest of the parish, with both ways being located on the boundaries of Penha de França. These are:


 * Rua Bispo de Cochim Dom Joseph Kureethara. The name honours the homonymous Indian bishop died in 1999. The street passes under the Xabregas viaduct and serves as a boundary between Penha de França and Beato
 * Viaduct of Av. Mouzinho de Albuquerque. The name honours the homonymus Portuguese general died in 1902. The street passes over the railway thanks to a bridge built in the late Nineties. It serves as a boundary between Penha de França and São Vicente

Headquarters and Branches of the Parish Council (Junta de Freguesia)

 * Headquarter (Penha de França) - Travessa do Calado, 2
 * Social and Health Development Center (Polo de Desenvolvimento Social e Saúde) - (São João) - Avenida Marechal Francisco da Costa Gomes, loja 13

Notable people



 * Jerónimo António Pereira Coutinho Pacheco de Vilhena e Brito (1713-1786): Portuguese-Spanish nobleman
 * António Botelho (born 1749) (1749-1799): Portuguese-Spanish nobleman
 * Jerónimo António Pereira Coutinho Pato Pacheco de Vilhena e Mendonça (1776-1814): Portuguese-Spanish nobleman
 * António Novais Pimentel (1780-1852): Portuguese-Spanish nobleman
 * António Luís Pereira Coutinho (1818-1908): Portuguese nobleman
 * Ana Augusta de Castilho (1860-1916): Portuguese feminist, teacher, propagandist, freemason, and republican activist opposed to the Portuguese monarchy.
 * Jesuína Saraiva (1865-1947): Portuguese actress
 * Raul Lino (1879-1974): Portuguese architect
 * João Rui de Sousa (1928-2022): Portuguese poet and writer
 * Maria Zulmira Pereira Lemos Zeiger: Portuguese actress and playwright
 * Graça Lobo (1938): Portuguese actress
 * Humberto Fernandes (1940-2009): Portuguese footballer
 * Hélio Cunha (1948): Portuguese artist
 * Filomena Gonçalves (1961): Portuguese actress
 * José Raposo (1963): Portuguese actor
 * Nininho Vaz Maia (1988): Portuguese singer, considered one of the main voices linked to the flamenco musical style in Portugal.