Belém National Palace

The first house built in this place is from 1559. D. Manuel, a Portuguese nobleman, bought the land from the Jerome’s friars and built here the Quinta do Outeiro das Vinhas. The farm remained in the family until 1726, when it was purchased by King João V. With Brazil’s gold flowing abudantly at that time, the king undertook major remodelling and expansion works. Thus, the Palace adquirec its Baroque and Neoclassical architectural features. It has been painted pink ever since. At the back, the king built a riding school, which decades later was transformed into the Royal Riding School. It is said that the king used the stables to discreetly conduct his love affairs. These stables still exist, although today they belong to the National Coach Museum. Nowadays, they are the home of Fandanga’s, Kloop’s, Jamon’s and Pardal’s from QTour‘s. You propably have already seen them strolling around Belém. We suggest that you take a tour with them. It is not expensive and the tourguides, always super friendly, have fantastic tales from the history of Belém to tell.

During the monarchy the Palace was used almost exclusively as a holiday home. In fact, on the day of the devastating 1755 earthquake, All Saints’ Day, the royal family was staying here. As it turned out, the area was not particularly affected, and that was the reason why the country continued to have a royal family. 😅 Still, terrified by the idea of potential aftershocks, the royal family settled in shack in the gardens, while the interior of the palace served as a hospital. It was only a few months later that King José I had the famous Royal shack built in Ajuda. The entire situation of having the high socieaty moving to this area to live in shanks is one of those history episodes that could have been taken from a Greek tragedy play. Since photography was only invented a few decades later, there are no visual records of this entire soap opera. We can only imagine the panic and confusion that must have been.

It was around this time that someone though it would be a good idea to set up a small zoo in the Belém Palace. It had exotic animals from the four corners of the world: zebras, gazelles, monkeys, camels, felines and even an elephant. Hence the cages in the Bichos garden. I think someone forgot to warn the King that, by now, the gold mines in Brazil were no longer yielding as they used to. Maybe it would have been a good idea to cut back on extravagances.

In 1807, with the French invasions, it was from the port of Belém that the royal family withdrew to Brazil. A good part of the Palace’s more valuable contents travelled with the family, but have not been returned. Consequently, the major part of the Museum’s collection dates from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Due to the conflict between the liberals and absolutists factions, troubled years followed the return of the royal family from Brazil. After a revolution that stripped the Queen of most of her powers, it was here, at the Belém Palace, that Queen Maria II summoned the Head of the Government, with the intention of dismissing him. This episode became known as the Belenzada. However the good lady’s wishes were frustrated. She had to give up as the government had the support of much of the capital’s population and as well as the Guard’s. And well, when the opponents have the guns, we all know there’s not much to be done.

At the end of the 19th century, shortly after their marriage and even before the coronation, King Carlos I and Queen Amélia lived here. The Palace had rehabilitation work performed on it once again. A few years later, it was Queen Amélia who transformed the Royal Riding School into the Coach Museum.

In the last years of the monarchy, the palace was transformed into a house to receive the royal family’s guests of honor. It was here, at a dinner with the then Brazilian President, that in 1910, King Manuel II received the news about the coup that would lead to the institution of the republican regime.

With the establishment of the Republic, the Palace of Belém was chosen as the official residence of the Presidente of the Republic. One of the first presidents had the idea of transforming the Palace into the Portuguese version of the White House, combining workplace and residence of the President of the Portuguese Republic. And, in fact, during the period that followed, the 1st Republic (1910-1926), the Palace of Belém actually functioned as the political center of the country and all Presidents lived here. They paid a monthly rent of 100 escudos. The idea was to show, in a very clear way, a break with monarchy’s status and privileges. Undoubtedly, the last years of the Portuguese monarchy were marked by a number of financial scandals that did not enhance the image of the royal family. 😂

https://sicnoticias.pt/especiais/eleicoes-presidenciais/2021-01-19-Palacio-de-Belem.-A-casa-real-de-veraneio-que-passou-a-simbolo-da-Republica

During the Estado Novo regime (1933-1974), given the reduced importance of the functions of the President of the Republic in the governance of the country, there were no major events here. However in the period that followed, it gained prominence again. With the Revolution of April 25, 1974, the National Salvation Junta installed itself here. Also, the two presidents of the troubled period that followed (1974-1976), lived here.

In 1976, with the approval of the new Constitution, Portugal entered a new era, the Democracy era. Of the Presidents that followed, until today, only the first, Ramalho Eanes, lived here permanently. All of the other, including the current one, have used the Palace only as a place of work. The weekly meeting with the Prime Minister takes place here. It is also where the President receives visiting Heads of State and foreign delegations. We know that the President is in the Palace when the green flag with the national coat of arms is hoisted.

Other curiosities of the Palace of Belém, although from the outside, apparently it is fairly simple and discreet building, on the inside, it is a whole art museum worthy of a visit. The official portraits of the Presidents of the Republic, for example, are somewhat amusing. The celebrated cheeks of Dr. President Mário Soares are very well caught. The Palace is open to the public, on a guided tour basis, every Saturday. Another interesting moment, the solemn changing of the Palace Guard, takes place on the 3rd Sunday of each month.

This year, on a cloudy morning in April, at 7:30 in the morning, a two-meter structure depicting a “manguito”, a two-amrs provocative obscene gesture, appeared in front of the Palace. It was the work of three plastic artists as a form of protest for the current situation in the country. The authorities intended to remove it, but the President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, nationally known for his frequent selfies and embraces, asked it to be placed in the Palace gardens instead. Where it remains, ready to be visited too.

The National Palace of Belém has been classified as a Monument of National Interest since 1967 and as National Heritage since 2007.

Informations:

- Website: Museu da Presidência

References:

- Araújo, N. (1946) Inventário de Lisboa, fascículo 2, CML: Lisboa.
- https://www.museu.presidencia.pt 24/07/2023.
- http://www.monumentos.gov.pt/site/app_pagesuser/sipa.aspx?id=6547 24/07/2023.
- https://www.publico.pt/2023/04/03/politica/noticia/colocaram-manguito-belem-marcelo-levouo-jardins-palacio-2044845#&gid=1&pid=1 24/07/2023.
- https://sicnoticias.pt/especiais/eleicoes-presidenciais/2021-01-19-Palacio-de-Belem.-A-casa-real-de-veraneio-que-passou-a-simbolo-da-Republica 24/07/2023.
- https://www.infopedia.pt/apoio/artigos/$palacio-nacional-de-belem 24/07/2023.
- https://www.infopedia.pt/apoio/artigos/$belenzada 01/08/2023.
- A big thank you to our amazing proofreader. Custard pasteries are on the way!

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