PORTUGAL: THE LIGHTS ON EUROPE'S HIGHEST ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE IN LISBON ARE SWITCHED ON ALONGSIDE A SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS DISPLAY

Record ID: 863453

  • Title: PORTUGAL: THE LIGHTS ON EUROPE'S HIGHEST ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE IN LISBON ARE SWITCHED ON ALONGSIDE A SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS DISPLAY
  • Date: 20th November 2004
  • Summary: GV: FIREWORK DISPLAY VARIOUS: OF FIREWORKS AND LIGHTS DISLAY INVOLVING THE TREE (4 SHOTS) PAN: FROM A LIT FOUNTAIN (IN FRONT OF JERONIMOS MONASTERY) TO THE LIT UP TREE
  • Embargoed: 5th December 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
  • City:
  • Country: Portugal
  • Topics: Entertainment,Environment / Natural World,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVACWDY4W0L4C85US69AYOQYZEMR
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Lights on Europe's highest artificial Christmas tree switched on in Lisbon's Belem Gardens.
    A 65-metre high artificial illuminated Christmas tree - the equivalent of a 20-storey building - was switched on on Saturday night (November 20) in front of XV-Century Jeronimos Monastery in the suburb of Belem, in Lisbon.
    The tree, the highest in the Europe according to the promoters, was provided by Millennium-BCP private bank to celebrate the first anniversary by the new Millennium brand.
    "This is Europe's largest Christmas tree, 65-metres high and two million bulbs and was a gift from the BCP to the Portuguese and for that reason this beautiful Belem Square in Lisbon is the living room of all the country,"
    said BCP Marketing Director Paulo Fidalgo.
    The Millennium-BCP 2004 Christmas tree, as it is known, was erected by team of 350 and involved two million bulbs, 17 kilometres of light tubing, 320 metres of neon and eight moving heads, making it a showpiece monument, set to mark the Lisbon landscape with the power of its illumination.
    The tree will be on display in the square (the park opposite Jeronimos Monastery) until January 6, 2005.
    The park space where the tree has been erected can hold 9,000 onlookers. The tree will be visible from various parts of the city and to several thousand commuters travelling in and out each day.
    In 2003, the Lisbon Council erected a similar 12-metre tall tree at the top of the Edward VII park, one of the high points in the city. It was lit by 120 metres of cable and 19,000 paper decorations made by 90,000 school children.
    Portugal, a mainly Catholic country, celebrates Christmas season with great solemnity.
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