Category: Civil Architecture > Palace
District: Braga > Barcelos > Barcelos > Misericórdia
The Palace of the Counts of Barcelos is located in the parish of Barcelos, city and municipality of Barcelos, in the district of Braga, in Portugal.
The Palace of the Counts of Barcelos is a National Monument, having been classified as such since 1910.
It was built in the first half of the 15th century by Afonso I, Duke of Braganza, and it was a palatial castle. At the time of its construction, it was considered the richest building in Barcelos.
The Palace fell into decline at the end of the 18th century.
Currently, only some ruins of the palace remain. The original tower, located between the Barcelos Bridge and the four chimneys, was damaged during the 1755 earthquake and collapsed in 1801. In 1872, due to the ruined state of the building, the municipality of Barcelos planned to demolish what remained, but the demolition was not fully completed due to popular protests.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the ruins of the palace were converted into the Barcelos Archaeological Museum.
The Palace was built in Gothic style and had a rectangular plan with dimensions of approximately 32 meters by 16 meters.
The palace was known for its four tall chimneys, which were a striking feature of the building.
Due to the current state of the ruins, which mainly consist of some walls and a tubular chimney, it is difficult to get an idea of its original grandeur.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paço_dos_Condes_de_Barcelos
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.5280905,-8.6221963
Coordinates DMS: 41°31'41.1"N 08°37'19.9"W
