Standing halfway up the tree-lined Avenida da Liberdade, near Rua do Salitre, the Monumento aos Mortos da Grande Guerra is a materialised testament to the tragedy of war. Inaugurated on 22 November 1931, this imposing war memorial honours the thousands of Portuguese soldiers who lost their lives fighting in World War I, particularly during the devastating 18-day Batalha de La Lys in 1918. The monument captures the immense weight of national grief.

The striking sculptural work features a bronze soldier kneeling in the trenches. Above him, a stone personification of the Homeland (Pátria) crowns him with laurels. Flanking the sides, two colossal, muscular figures strain under the enormous effort of holding the monument aloft, symbolising the collective labour of the country. Etched into the stone is the powerful inscription: "Ao serviço da Pátria, o esforço da Grei"—At the service of the Homeland, the effort of the People. It remains a solemn space to contemplate the cost of liberty. And in times of peace, it is a memorial to keep it that way.