Palace of the Counts of Penafiel

Palace of the Counts of Penafiel (Palácio Penafiel)
Palace of Penafiel, Palace of the High-Courier
Palace (Palácio)
The main gate of the Palace
Official name: Palácio Penafiel/Palácio do Correio-Mor
Named for: Counts of Penafiel
Country	Portugal
Region	Lisboa
Subregion	Greater Lisbon
District	Lisbon
Municipality	Lisbon
Location	Santa Maria Maior
- coordinates	38°42′39.1″N 9°8′3.8″W / 38.710861°N 9.134389°W / 38.710861; -9.134389Coordinates: 38°42′39.1″N 9°8′3.8″W / 38.710861°N 9.134389°W / 38.710861; -9.134389
Architects	António Tomás da Fonseca
Style	Pombaline
Materials	Mixed masonry, Mixed tiles, Reinforced concrete, Marble, Plaster, Limestone, Azulejo, Wood
Origin	17th century
- Initiated	1606
- Completion	1776
Owner	Portuguese Republic
For public	Public
Easiest access	Rua de São Mamede, 21; Largo do Correio Mor; Travessa do Almada, 32-32A; Calçada do Correio Velho, 17-19; Rua das Pedras Negras, 10-20
Management	Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico
Operator	Community of Portuguese Language Countries
Status	Unclassified
Listing	Included in Pombaline Downtown (IPA.00005966); included in the Special Protection Zone (ZPE) for Sé Cathedral of Lisbon (IPA.00002196), Principal Portico of the Church of Madalena (IPA.00003034), Pedras Negras Tombs (IPA.00006474), Church of Conceição Velha (IPA.00006470), Casa dos Bicos (IPA.00002489) and Church of Santo António (IPA.00003143), the Protection Zone for the Castle of São Jorge and remains (IPA.00003128) and Special Protection Zone (ZPE) for the ruins of the Roman Theatre (IPA.00003110)

The Palace of the Counts of Penafiel (Portuguese: Palácio Penafiel/Palácio do Correio-Mor), or the Palace of the High-Courier of Penafiel, a Portuguese palace located in the civil parish of Santa Maria Maior, in the municipality of Lisbon.

The palace was built in the first half of the 17th century over the remains of the Palace of the High Courier, the courtly officer responsible for communications within the kingdom. Between 1606 and 1755 it was the residence of the High-Couriers, becoming the seat of the postal authority for the Kingdom. But, the palace was only concluded in 1776, after remodelling associated with its reconstruction, following the devastating 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

When the office of High Courier was abolished in 1797, is resident made the Count of Penafiel in compensation, thereby resulting in its new designation.

In 1859, the kingdom's last official High-Courier to the Kingdom, Manuel José da Maternidade da Mata de Sousa Coutinho, 1st Count of Penafiel (n.1782) died in the residence. The palace passed into the hands of his only daughter, the 2nd Countess and 1st Marquess of Penafiel, D. Maria da Assunção da Mata de Sousa Coutinho (1827-1892). There was a campaign around 1865 to remodel the palace, that included redecoration, the alteration of the principal access and the arrange of the frontispiece under the direction of António Tomás da Fonseca. Following the death of the marquessa in 1891, the palace began to be partially rented.

Between 1894 and 1904, the Viscountess of Almeida and her four daughters resided at the palace, using an access along the Rua das Pedras Negras, 16. Two years later (and until 1910), from the a doorway along Rua de São Mamede, 63, Engineer Manuel Afonso Espregueira, the defacto Finance Minister (Portuguese: Ministro da Fazenda) under King D. Portugal and D. Manuel II. But, by the end of 1904, a great part of the palace was occupied by the residence of the Ambassador of Spain.

The palace required significant repairs in 1914, and was in the course of being purchased by the Caminhos de Ferro do Estado (State Railway), and eventually concluded in 1919. By 1941, the Direção-Geral dos Caminhos de Ferro (Directorate-General of the State Railway) was operating from the site, but was eventually replaced by the Conselho Superior de Obras Públicas (Superior Council of Public Works), forerunner of the Ministério das Obras Publicas, Transportes e Comunicações.