Legend has it that the coast where Lisbon is had a strange name: Ofiusa – which means “Land of Serpents.” The snakes had a very strange queen, half woman, half snake … a sorcerer with a very sweet voice.
Sometimes this queer queen climbed to the top of a hill and screamed, just so she could hear her own voice:
“This is my kingdom! Only I rule here, no one else! No man will dare to put foot here: woe to those who dare! Because my snakes will not let you breathe one minute”.
In fact, for a long time, no human ventured to land on this coast that she thought would be cursed by the gods and also by men.
But one day, coming from far away, a legendary hero named Ulysses, famous for his war adventures docked in the city.
Was dazzled by the beauty of the land he saw went up a hill and with his manly voice, shouted to the wind:
“Here I will build the most beautiful city of the Universe! And I will give you my own name: Ulisseia be the capital of the World!”
And his prophecy came true … and today, though with a different name given by the Greek mythological hero, “Ulisseia” is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and called Lisbon.