Like most other capitals in Europe, Lisbon has its own individual character influenced and moulded by its own history and its inhabitants. (For the purpose of this brief description historical factors have mainly been left to the many good available guidebooks). Lisbon has in its existence recorded several serious earthquakes, one in 1505 and a second in 1512. However, due to the very destructive earthquake in 1755 the centre of this city was virtually completely destroyed. The King gave the then powerful Marquis de Pombal the opportunity to create his radical and impressive layout of streets. The idea of wide avenues and streets was a complete change to the narrow and haphazard ones that abounded in all major cities of that time. Although this conception today may seem normal and is found in most of the capitals of Europe, the concept was very impressive for that time. The number of inhabitants of Lisbon is over 664.000.