On November 1, 1755, a rare earthquake struck Lisbon, razing two-thirds of the city's buildings. It was the weekend when many people gathered in churches for mass, so the casualties were very heavy, with about 60,000 people dead. Marquis Bombar, then Portuguese Prime Minister, was commissioned to rebuild Lisbon. In commemoration of Bombar's contribution, in May 1926, a square named after him was laid, that is, Marquis Bombar Square at the northern end of Freedom Avenue. In May 1934, his bronze statue was erected. The statue of Marquis Pombar stands in the centre of the square, to the north of which is a park. The square is the starting point of Freedom Avenue, which goes south to Rossio Square.