Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Braga > Vila Nova de Famalicão > Seide (São Miguel) > Souto
The Casa de Camilo Castelo Branco, also known as the Camilo Castelo Branco House-Museum or simply Casa de Camilo, is the former residence of the famous Portuguese writer Camilo Castelo Branco. It is located in Quinta de S. Miguel de Seide, in the current parish of Seide, in the municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão, district of Braga, in Portugal.
The house was originally built by Pinheiro Alves, Ana Plácido's first husband, around 1830. After Pinheiro Alves' death, Camilo and Ana Plácido moved to the estate, where they lived for about 26 years until the writer's suicide in 1890. The house has a significant history, representing an important period in the life of Camilo Castelo Branco.
The Casa de Camilo Castelo Branco was transformed into a Camilian museum in 1922, after being rebuilt due to a fire in 1915. The museum presents a reconstruction of the house as it was when the writer lived there, providing visitors with an authentic and immersive experience in the world of Camilo.
Since 1978, the Casa de Camilo Castelo Branco has been classified as a Property of Public Interest in Portugal, due to its historical and cultural value to the country.
In the house's enclosure, there is an obelisk that was erected in memory of the visit of the writer António Feliciano de Castilho, along with Tomás Ribeiro and Eugénio de Castilho, in 1866.
In 2005, the Camilian Studies Center was inaugurated on the land near the Casa de Camilo. Designed by architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, the center features an auditorium, reading rooms and temporary exhibitions, a cafeteria, and work offices.
In 2022, renovations and restoration of the Casa de Camilo were inaugurated, along with the Casa dos Caseiros (caretakers' house) and the estate. With an investment of approximately 320 thousand euros, the works aimed to preserve the environment lived in by Camilo, providing visitors with an even more authentic experience and diversifying the educational and pedagogical offer. The Casa dos Caseiros was destined for educational services and a kitchen to serve meals with a Camilian menu. In addition, a space was created with a drying area and patio for activities of everyday life in the 19th century.
The Casa de Camilo Castelo Branco was distinguished in 2006 by the Portuguese Association of Museology as the best national museum, further reinforcing its cultural value.
The house served as the setting for the film "O Dia do Desespero" (Day of Despair) (1992), directed by Manoel de Oliveira.
The Casa de Camilo Castelo Branco is one of the notable built heritages of the Braga district, being an unmissable place for lovers of Portuguese literature and history.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_de_Camilo_Castelo_Branco
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.39687902771215, -8.463557946133841
Coordinates DMS: 41°23'48.8"N 08°27'48.8"W
On-duty Pharmacy Seide (São Miguel)
