Belém Palace

Belém Palace (Palácio de Belém)
Palace (Palácio)
The main façade of the Palace of Belém, official residence of the Portuguese President
Official name: Palácio Nacional de Belém
Name origin: belém Portuguese for Bethlehem; named after the civil parish on which it is situated, Santa Maria de Belém
Country	Portugal
Region	Lisbon
Sub-region	Grande Lisboa
District	Lisbon
Municipality	Lisbon
Location	Santa Maria de Belém
- elevation	16 m (52 ft)
- coordinates	38°41′52.69″N 9°12′2.47″W / 38.6979694°N 9.2006861°W / 38.6979694; -9.2006861Coordinates: 38°41′52.69″N 9°12′2.47″W / 38.6979694°N 9.2006861°W / 38.6979694; -9.2006861
Length	172 m (564 ft), Southwest-Northeast
Width	187.5 m (615 ft), Northwest-Southeast
Architects	João Pedro Ludovice, Mateus Vicente de Oliveira, Rafael da Silva Castro, Rosendo Carvalheira, Luís Benavente, João de Almeida, João Luís Carrilho da Graça
Styles	Mannerism, Baroque
Materials	Mixed masonry, Limestone, Marble, Stucco, Azulejo
Origin	18th century
- Initiated	c. 1726
- Completion	fl. 1754
Owner	Portuguese Republic
For public	Public
Visitation	Closed (Mondays and on 1 January, 22–24 April, 1 May and 24–25 December)
Easiest access	Praça Afonso de Albuquerque
Management	Presidência da República
Operator	Museu da Presidência da República
Saturday	10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Sunday	2:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Museum (Tue.-Sun.)	10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Location of the Belém Palace within the municipality of Lisbon
Website: www.presidencia.pt?idc=15

The Belém Palace, or alternately National Palace of Belém, (Portuguese: Palácio Nacional de Belém) has, over time, been the official residence of Portuguese monarchs and, after the installation of the First Republic, the Presidents of the Portuguese Republic. Located in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém, the palace is located on a small hill that fronts the Praça Afonso de Albuquerque, near the historical centre of Belém and the Monastery of the Jeronimos, close to the waterfront of the Tagus River. The five buildings that make up the main façade of the Palace date back to the second half of the 17th century, and were built at a time when the monarchy and nobility increasingly desired to seek respite from the urbanized confines of Lisbon.

The site was originally part of the Outeiro das Vinhas, a property that fronted the beach of the Tagus River. D. Manuel of Portugal, a diplomat and poet who was the son of the 1st Count of Vimioso, acquired the land in 1559, naming it Quinta de Belém and constructing a building with three salons and two atria. By the mid-17th century the property was linked to a of the Royal Court, then transferred to the possession of the Counts of Aveiras and occupied by a convent.

The land was later acquired by King John V, who ordered its reconstruction in 1726. It encompassed two parcels, the Quinta de Baixo and Quinta do Meio, which the monarch purchased from João da Silva Telo, 3rd Count of Aveiros for 200,000 cruzados, in addition to the contiguous farmlands of the Counts of São Lourenço, with the objective of constructing a summer home. Although it is unclear when the first building was completed, by 1754 Queen Maria Anna of Austria had already died in the residence.

During the aftermath of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, it was determined that there was superficial damage and no fear of collapse, but a number of repairs were completed between 1755 and 1756. Under supervision of the architect João Pedro Ludovice, the Casa Real de Campo de Belém (Belém Royal Country House) or Palácio das Leoneiras also received attention. Work included replacing tile and repairs to the greenhouses and stables. Similarly, around 1770, architect Mateus Vicente de Oliveira undertook reconstruction of the total estate. This was the beginning of several small projects within the residence that included the painting of the Sala das Bicas, the replacement of azulejo tiles along the southern veranda (1778), and construction of the birdhouses (1780). Initial construction of the Neoclassical horse training arena designed by the Italian Giacomo Azzolini began in 1828. The space is now occupied by the National Coach Museum