> Which city is the westernmost capital city of mainland Europe?And the answer: Lisbon. The capital of Portugal is Lisbon, which has the unique distinction of being themost westerly capital city of mainland Europe. Located near the Atlantic Ocean,the Lisbon metropolitan region includes an area called Cabo da Roca, which isthe overall westernmost point of continental Europe.Photo credit: Photo: Getty Images/Sean Pavone.Lisbon is one of the oldest citiesin western Europe, yet it is also one of the trendiest and most tourist friendlycities of the modern day. Its natural harbor is one of the most uniquelybeautiful in the world, and has served as a strategic site of trade betweenEurope, Africa, and the Atlantic, making it one of the most accessed in Europe. Over the millennia of Lisbon's lifetime, it's taken on a number of differentforms. After the region was settled by the Celts, it was then founded by thePhoenicians. They established a settlement called Ulissipo, which was thenconquered by the Greeks and Carthaginians. For several hundred years, the cityretained the name Ulissipo – Portuguese folk etymology holds that the namederives from its supposed founder, Odysseus of The Odyssey – until the 8thcentury invasion by Islamic Moors. From then on the city was called Al-Usbuna.With time, the name simplified to the current Portuguese name: Lisboa. In 1755, the city was all-but destroyed by an intense earthquake. The Portugueseruler Marquis de Pombal began reconstruction soon after, bringing with itLisbon's reinvention into the bustling, modern metropolis we know today. In1994, the city was designated a European City of Culture, and in '98, Lisbonhosted the World's Fair. The event spurred the largest renewal project since1755, leading to the creation of the combined road-rail Vasco da Gama Bridge andother extensive upgrades of the city’s transportation infrastructure. Marinas,hotels, commercial complexes, and entertainment venues were constructed alongthe beautiful Tagus River. Learn more about the extensive and fascinating history of Lisbon here[https://theculturetrip.com/europe/portugal/lisbon/articles/10-facts-about-lisbon-that-you-never-knew/].