The statue of the legendary 16th-century poet dominates the square which is named after him - Praça Luís de Camões. Regarded as Portugal's most eminent wordsmith, Camões is to some extent a Portuguese equivalent of Shakespeare. He wrote a considerable amount of lyrical poetry and drama but is best remembered for his epic work Os Lusíadas (The Lusiads).
Sculpted by Victor Bastos in 1867, the monument features a double life-size bronze of the poet atop an elaborate plinth which is surrounded by eight smaller statues. These feature some of the leading figures of Portuguese culture and literature in the Age of Discoveries: Fernão Lopes, Pedro Nunes, Gomes Eanes de Zurara, João de Barros, Fernão Lopes de Castanheda, Vasco Mouzinho de Quevedo, Jerónimo Corte-Real, and Francisco de Sá de Meneses.
The square was previously known as Praça do Loreto, which is in reference to the Igreja do Loreto. Also known as "the Church of the Italians", this fine Baroque church can be seen in the background.
