The Palace of Ajuda (Portuguese: Palácio Nacional da Ajuda) is a neoclassical monument in the civil parish of Ajuda in the city of Lisbon, central Portugal. Built on the site of a temporary wooden building built to house the royal family after the 1755 earthquake and tsunami, it was originally started by the architect Manuel Caetano de Sousa, who designed the late Baroque - Rococo house. It was later entrusted to José da Costa e Silva and Francisco Xavier Fabri, who designed a magnificent building in a modern neoclassical style.
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| Palace of Ajuda |
Like so many other cases in Lisbon, the 1755 earthquake knocked the Ribeira Palace down, and a wooden barrack served as a royal residence for almost twenty years, until Queen Maria I ordered the construction of the Palace of Ajuda.
A Checkered History
This new palace would be the residence of the Portuguese royal family until the beginning of the 19th century, when it was forced to go into exile in Brazil after the invasion of the French Napoleon Bonaparte's troops. In fact, the palace was never finished as planned by the architects in charge of the project, José de Costa e Silva and Francisco Javier Fabri.
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| Palace of Ajuda |
The construction of the palace would not be resumed until the end of the 19th century, when the royal family returned to Portugal and commissioned the architect António Francisco Rosa to continue with it. But this time the lack of funding brought the construction of the palace to a standstill again, with some changes to the main façade in subsequent years, but little else.
More than a Century as a Museum
Despite this, since then the palace has become one of the most important neoclassical buildings in Lisbon and has been declared a National Monument.
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| Palace of Ajuda |
Since 1910 it was enabled as a museum, so visiting it is a good way to get closer to the life of a royal family during the 19th century.
Not to be missed is the Music Room, the Ballroom and the ostentatious Throne Room, as well as the rest of the rooms, where we can appreciate the furniture, everyday objects, lamps and ornate ceilings of this palace to which, of course, it does not lack detail.
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| Palace of Ajuda |
The rich artistic heritage of the Palace of Ajuda includes one of the best collections of decorative arts in Portugal, composed of tapestries, porcelains, paintings and sculptures, among others.
Currently, the most significant ceremonies related to the Presidency of the Republic are held at the Palace of Ajuda. It is also the headquarters of the Biblioteca Nacional da Ajuda and the Ministry of Culture.