Bemposta Palace
Encyclopedia
The Bemposta Palace also known as the Paço da Rainha (Residence of the Queen), is a neoclassical palace originally ordered built by the Dowager-Queen Catherine of Braganza
after returning to Lisbon
, in the area of Bemposta, now the civil parish of Pena
. After many years as her residence, the building was transferred to the Casa do Infantada, before becoming the residence of John VI of Portugal
(until his death). It was re-purposed after Queen Maria II of Portugal transferred its title to the Army, who established its Military Academy.
(in 1685), and leaving no legitimate heir to the throne, the Queen Catherine of Braganza
(daughter of John IV
) returned to Portugal in 1693. Without a home in Lisbon, she resided in the homes of various noblemen for a time, including the Count of Redondo in Santa Maria or the palace of the Count of Aveiras, in Belém. The dowager
Queen decided to purchase from Francisca Pereira Teles, the noble homes and fields in the center of Lisbon, in the area of Bemposta, in order to build her residence. As there had already existed a chapel dating back to 1501, she requested that the architect, João Antunes
(1642–1712), incorporate a chapel on the site plan to the invocation of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception). The project began in 1694, with Antunes coming on board in 1702, and by 1702 the Queen had already begun living in the palace. The building was a mixed construction: limestone and marble was used in many of the flourishes, but the structure was built of reinforced steel, wood and masonry.
Catherine died on 31 December 1705 in this residence, leaving in her testament the Palace of Bemposta to her brother, the King Peter II of Portugal. Peter occupied this home during his two regencies of Portugal: first, marching the Army to support the Archduke Charles of Austria during the War of Spanish Succession, and later in 1705, during the illness of his brother. On 29 October 1706 a royal chapel was constructed.
Later, King John V, in 1707, donated the Sereníssima Casa do Infantado (Serene Home of the Princes) to the dependencies of the Royal family, that included both the Palace itself and the lands surrounding. It became the residence of the Portuguese monarchy's Infantes and Infantas of the realm, such as Infante Francis, Duke of Beja (King John V's brother), one of the King's natural children (referred to as John of Bemposta) in 1742, and the Infante Peter
.
After the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake
, the palace required extensive reconstruction, including the Royal chapel which was completely destroyed. Under the direction of Manuel Caetano de Sousa (1742-1802), the building was remodeled and an elaborate chapel was constructed, with a rectangular vestibule and nave and polychromatic mosaic
s. In main alter, a portrait of the Royal Family, Queen Maria I
and the Infante John
with the court, in an iconographic representation of Lisbon, seen from the Castle of São Jorge. The success of the chapel, came from the contribution of the woodworkers from the Church of São Roque (and in particular the Chapel of São João Baptista). A similar design esthetic was also brought in from the Royal Chapel in the Queluz Palace
. The Bemposta Palace had its own singers (since 1759) that incorporated an organist and singers, that were contracted and regularly performed in Lisbon. But, the organ had already been spirited away to the Palace of Queluz
by 1778.
The palace too began to be abandoned, as the royals move to other preferred lodgings: by 1798 the palace was already abandoned and falling into ruins.
In 1803, the Prince-Regent, (future King John VI) lived at Bemposta. Even after the return of the Royal Family, in 1821, John returned to Bemposta, and with the intent of making the residence more habitable, began various renovations in 1822, 1824 and 1825, principally in the rooms behind the chapel and on the floor near the gardens. At Bemposta the politics of King John VI's reign played-out: including the events of the insurrections known as the Vila-Francada and Abrilada, and his eventual death (he died in his personal quarters, on 10 March 1826).
In 1828, King Miguel
began holding weekly audiences in the Palace.
The designation as Casa da Infantada was removed in 1833, and the Palace is incorporated into the Crown's property. Until 18 March 1834, a formal political administration occupied the Bemposta Palace, but it was vacated and returned to Crown estates under Queen Maria II. Yet, the Queen later transferred the palace to the Army in 1837, where, after 1851, it began to function as an Army Academy (after extensive remodelling in 1850-1851), where, under General Bernardo de Sá Nogueira de Figueiredo, 1st Marquess of Sá da Bandeira, the building was expanded and interior remodelled. In 1853, the chapel, until this time a private hermitage, began to be open to the faith community. With changes in the urban planning in Lisbon, the area in front of the palace became reduced, and traffic along the avenue resulted in the shortening of the main outside staircase in 1860 (with the widening of the road).
In 1944, there was a restoration of the chapel complete, followed in 1997 by a renovation of the electrical and fire prevention systems in order to meet safety standards.
On 13 September 1999, an analysis of the architectural state was begun by the Direcção-Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais (DGEMN) (General-Directorate for Buildings and National Monuments). The Palace pertains to the Portuguese
Military Academy
, and the coat-of-arms of Queen Catherine
are still visible above the principal doors of the building.
In 2001, a monument to Queen Catherine was installed in front of the buildings façade.
with Anjos
. The principal building, used by the military academy, fronts the Largo (square) across from the clock-tower and Mitelo Palace, in proximity of the Quartel do Cabeço da Bola, Jardim do Campo Mártires da Pátria (Garden of Campo Mártires da Pátria) and Miguel Bombarda Hospital.
The front façade includes two staircases that ribbon towards the main floor and veranda with baluster
s. The main arched doorway are flanked by two sets of tall windows, while a secondary floor veranda with main window is also flanked by two other sets (the central window, which is much taller than the others, is surmounted by sculpted coat-of-arms of the royal family. This façade is completed by a triangular wall adorned by the relief of two seraph
s adoring the Virgin Mary (by the sculptor Joaquim de Barros Laborão, surmounted by a cross above a plinth
. In the chapel's atrium there are two niches with statutes of Saint Elizabeth
and John the Baptist
(started by José de Almeida and completed by Barros Laborão).
, John VI
and Carlota Joaquina) completed by the English painter Thomas F. Hickey
. On the ceiling of the chapel, in a ovular mould, there is a painting of the Virgin attributed to Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho (1730-810). Along the lateral walls are pulpits delimited by balusters, while on the left side the organ. The lateral alters, with the exception of the second epistle, are marked by the acronym of Pedro Alexandrino. On the roof, in the middle of a complex Baroque scene is a painting by Pedro Alexandrino representing the Assumption of Mary
, encircled by a crown of cherub
s and four doctors of the church: Saint Augustine, Saint Ambrose, Saint Gregory Magno and Saint Jerome, while the painter also complete a painting of the Transfiguration
on the roof of the chapel. The sacristy, with access on the left-side of the main alter, is covered in polychromatic azulejo
s, with a credence table made from Brazilwood.
Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
after returning to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, in the area of Bemposta, now the civil parish of Pena
Pena (Lisbon)
Pena is a Portuguese civil parish in the heart of the historical quarter of the municipality of Lisbon. In 2001, the population of the district included 6038 residents, in an are of 0.5 km², representing a highly compact population.-History:...
. After many years as her residence, the building was transferred to the Casa do Infantada, before becoming the residence of John VI of Portugal
John VI of Portugal
John VI John VI John VI (full name: João Maria José Francisco Xavier de Paula Luís António Domingos Rafael; (13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826) was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves (later changed to just King of Portugal and the Algarves, after Brazil was recognized...
(until his death). It was re-purposed after Queen Maria II of Portugal transferred its title to the Army, who established its Military Academy.
History
Following the death of Charles II of EnglandCharles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
(in 1685), and leaving no legitimate heir to the throne, the Queen Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
(daughter of John IV
John IV of Portugal
|-|John IV was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1640 to his death. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown and sparked the struggle for the throne of Portugal. John was nicknamed John the Restorer...
) returned to Portugal in 1693. Without a home in Lisbon, she resided in the homes of various noblemen for a time, including the Count of Redondo in Santa Maria or the palace of the Count of Aveiras, in Belém. The dowager
Dowager
A dowager is a widow who holds a title or property, or dower, derived from her deceased husband. As an adjective, "Dowager" usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles....
Queen decided to purchase from Francisca Pereira Teles, the noble homes and fields in the center of Lisbon, in the area of Bemposta, in order to build her residence. As there had already existed a chapel dating back to 1501, she requested that the architect, João Antunes
João Antunes
João Antunes was a Portuguese architect, considered one of the most important Baroque architects of Portugal.As royal architect, Antunes' main work is the Church of Santa Engrácia in Lisbon, a Greek cross building with curved façades typical of the Baroque architecture of Borromini...
(1642–1712), incorporate a chapel on the site plan to the invocation of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception). The project began in 1694, with Antunes coming on board in 1702, and by 1702 the Queen had already begun living in the palace. The building was a mixed construction: limestone and marble was used in many of the flourishes, but the structure was built of reinforced steel, wood and masonry.
Catherine died on 31 December 1705 in this residence, leaving in her testament the Palace of Bemposta to her brother, the King Peter II of Portugal. Peter occupied this home during his two regencies of Portugal: first, marching the Army to support the Archduke Charles of Austria during the War of Spanish Succession, and later in 1705, during the illness of his brother. On 29 October 1706 a royal chapel was constructed.
Later, King John V, in 1707, donated the Sereníssima Casa do Infantado (Serene Home of the Princes) to the dependencies of the Royal family, that included both the Palace itself and the lands surrounding. It became the residence of the Portuguese monarchy's Infantes and Infantas of the realm, such as Infante Francis, Duke of Beja (King John V's brother), one of the King's natural children (referred to as John of Bemposta) in 1742, and the Infante Peter
Peter III of Portugal
Peter III became King of the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves by the accession of his wife and niece Queen Maria I in 1777, and co-reigned alongside her until his death.-Biography:...
.
After the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake
1755 Lisbon earthquake
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that took place on Saturday 1 November 1755, at around 9:40 in the morning. The earthquake was followed by fires and a tsunami, which almost totally destroyed Lisbon in the Kingdom of Portugal, and...
, the palace required extensive reconstruction, including the Royal chapel which was completely destroyed. Under the direction of Manuel Caetano de Sousa (1742-1802), the building was remodeled and an elaborate chapel was constructed, with a rectangular vestibule and nave and polychromatic mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
s. In main alter, a portrait of the Royal Family, Queen Maria I
Maria I of Portugal
Maria I was Queen regnant of Portugal and the Algarves from 1777 until her death. Known as Maria the Pious , or Maria the Mad , she was the first undisputed Queen regnant of Portugal...
and the Infante John
John VI of Portugal
John VI John VI John VI (full name: João Maria José Francisco Xavier de Paula Luís António Domingos Rafael; (13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826) was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves (later changed to just King of Portugal and the Algarves, after Brazil was recognized...
with the court, in an iconographic representation of Lisbon, seen from the Castle of São Jorge. The success of the chapel, came from the contribution of the woodworkers from the Church of São Roque (and in particular the Chapel of São João Baptista). A similar design esthetic was also brought in from the Royal Chapel in the Queluz Palace
Queluz National Palace
The Queluz National Palace is a Portuguese 18th-century palace located at Queluz, a freguesia of the modern-day Sintra Municipality, in the Lisbon District. One of the last great Rococo buildings to be designed in Europe, the palace was conceived as a summer retreat for Dom Pedro of Braganza,...
. The Bemposta Palace had its own singers (since 1759) that incorporated an organist and singers, that were contracted and regularly performed in Lisbon. But, the organ had already been spirited away to the Palace of Queluz
Queluz National Palace
The Queluz National Palace is a Portuguese 18th-century palace located at Queluz, a freguesia of the modern-day Sintra Municipality, in the Lisbon District. One of the last great Rococo buildings to be designed in Europe, the palace was conceived as a summer retreat for Dom Pedro of Braganza,...
by 1778.
The palace too began to be abandoned, as the royals move to other preferred lodgings: by 1798 the palace was already abandoned and falling into ruins.
In 1803, the Prince-Regent, (future King John VI) lived at Bemposta. Even after the return of the Royal Family, in 1821, John returned to Bemposta, and with the intent of making the residence more habitable, began various renovations in 1822, 1824 and 1825, principally in the rooms behind the chapel and on the floor near the gardens. At Bemposta the politics of King John VI's reign played-out: including the events of the insurrections known as the Vila-Francada and Abrilada, and his eventual death (he died in his personal quarters, on 10 March 1826).
In 1828, King Miguel
Miguel of Portugal
Dom Miguel I, sometimes Michael , was the King of Portugal between 1828 and 1834, the seventh child and second son of King John VI and his queen, Charlotte of Spain....
began holding weekly audiences in the Palace.
The designation as Casa da Infantada was removed in 1833, and the Palace is incorporated into the Crown's property. Until 18 March 1834, a formal political administration occupied the Bemposta Palace, but it was vacated and returned to Crown estates under Queen Maria II. Yet, the Queen later transferred the palace to the Army in 1837, where, after 1851, it began to function as an Army Academy (after extensive remodelling in 1850-1851), where, under General Bernardo de Sá Nogueira de Figueiredo, 1st Marquess of Sá da Bandeira, the building was expanded and interior remodelled. In 1853, the chapel, until this time a private hermitage, began to be open to the faith community. With changes in the urban planning in Lisbon, the area in front of the palace became reduced, and traffic along the avenue resulted in the shortening of the main outside staircase in 1860 (with the widening of the road).
In 1944, there was a restoration of the chapel complete, followed in 1997 by a renovation of the electrical and fire prevention systems in order to meet safety standards.
On 13 September 1999, an analysis of the architectural state was begun by the Direcção-Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais (DGEMN) (General-Directorate for Buildings and National Monuments). The Palace pertains to the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Military Academy
Portuguese Military Academy
The Military Academy is a Portuguese military establishment, which has the ability to confer educational qualifications equivalent to a university...
, and the coat-of-arms of Queen Catherine
Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
are still visible above the principal doors of the building.
In 2001, a monument to Queen Catherine was installed in front of the buildings façade.
Architecture
The Palace of Bemposta is located in the Largo do Paço da Rainha on the eastern border of PenaPena (Lisbon)
Pena is a Portuguese civil parish in the heart of the historical quarter of the municipality of Lisbon. In 2001, the population of the district included 6038 residents, in an are of 0.5 km², representing a highly compact population.-History:...
with Anjos
Anjos (Lisbon)
Anjos is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Lisbon. It was created in 1564. It has a total area of 0.48 km² and total population of 9,738 inhabitants ; density: 20,372.4 hab/km².-External links:...
. The principal building, used by the military academy, fronts the Largo (square) across from the clock-tower and Mitelo Palace, in proximity of the Quartel do Cabeço da Bola, Jardim do Campo Mártires da Pátria (Garden of Campo Mártires da Pátria) and Miguel Bombarda Hospital.
The front façade includes two staircases that ribbon towards the main floor and veranda with baluster
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
s. The main arched doorway are flanked by two sets of tall windows, while a secondary floor veranda with main window is also flanked by two other sets (the central window, which is much taller than the others, is surmounted by sculpted coat-of-arms of the royal family. This façade is completed by a triangular wall adorned by the relief of two seraph
Seraph
A seraph is a type of celestial being in Judaism and Christianity...
s adoring the Virgin Mary (by the sculptor Joaquim de Barros Laborão, surmounted by a cross above a plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
. In the chapel's atrium there are two niches with statutes of Saint Elizabeth
Elizabeth of Aragon
Elizabeth of Aragon, also known as Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, T.O.S.F. , was queen consort of Portugal, a tertiary of the Franciscan Order and is venerated as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.-Biography:Elizabeth was a descendant of one of the most powerful families in Europe:...
and John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
(started by José de Almeida and completed by Barros Laborão).
Chapel
In the main chapel, there is a figure of the patron saint by the painter José Troni, with pictures of the Royal family in the foreground (including Maria IMaria I of Portugal
Maria I was Queen regnant of Portugal and the Algarves from 1777 until her death. Known as Maria the Pious , or Maria the Mad , she was the first undisputed Queen regnant of Portugal...
, John VI
John VI of Portugal
John VI John VI John VI (full name: João Maria José Francisco Xavier de Paula Luís António Domingos Rafael; (13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826) was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves (later changed to just King of Portugal and the Algarves, after Brazil was recognized...
and Carlota Joaquina) completed by the English painter Thomas F. Hickey
Thomas Hickey (painter)
Thomas Hickey was an Irish painter.Born in Dublin, Hickey was the son of Noah, a confectioner in Capel Street, and Anne Hickey. A younger brother was John Hickey, the sculptor. He was trained at the Royal Dublin Society schools under Robert West....
. On the ceiling of the chapel, in a ovular mould, there is a painting of the Virgin attributed to Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho (1730-810). Along the lateral walls are pulpits delimited by balusters, while on the left side the organ. The lateral alters, with the exception of the second epistle, are marked by the acronym of Pedro Alexandrino. On the roof, in the middle of a complex Baroque scene is a painting by Pedro Alexandrino representing the Assumption of Mary
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
, encircled by a crown of cherub
Cherub
A cherub is a type of spiritual being mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and cited later on in the Christian biblical canons, usually associated with the presence of God...
s and four doctors of the church: Saint Augustine, Saint Ambrose, Saint Gregory Magno and Saint Jerome, while the painter also complete a painting of the Transfiguration
Transfiguration of Jesus
The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the New Testament in which Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels describe it, and 2 Peter 1:16-18 refers to it....
on the roof of the chapel. The sacristy, with access on the left-side of the main alter, is covered in polychromatic azulejo
Azulejo
Azulejo from the Arabic word Zellige زليج is a form of Portuguese or Spanish painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. They have become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture, having been produced without interruption for five centuries...
s, with a credence table made from Brazilwood.