Palace of the Counts of Basto / Patio of Saint Michael

Category: Civil Architecture > Palace

District: Évora > Évora > Évora > São Mamede, Sé, São Pedro e Santo Antão

Location

The Palace of the Counts of Basto is located on an elevated point of the Évora hill, in the area that once corresponded to the old medieval alcazaba. It is integrated into the heart of the city's historic center, an area of great urban harmony. Access to the Patio of São Miguel is via a picturesque, slightly inclined street that rises above the Church of the Holy Spirit. Its south portal faces Largo Mário Tavares Chicó, being relatively close to Évora Cathedral, which places it within the city's most historic and characteristic fabric.

Architecture and Evolution

This vast palatial complex, with roots dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries, presents a fascinating superposition of styles, reflecting a long history of alterations and additions over the centuries. Manueline, Renaissance, and revivalist influences are observed, resulting in an irregular but harmonious plan. Prominently featured on the main façade is an elegant 16th-century loggia, with twin horseshoe-arched windows, and at the rear, a covered gallery opening onto a garden, protected by two towers. The Patio of São Miguel, a large central space, is flanked by various pavilions that, in times, included stables and other dependencies, revealing the scale and functionality of this monumental complex.

Artistic Richness

The interior of the palace holds a treasure of great artistic value: its mural paintings. In the noble halls of the main body, it is possible to admire panels of profane themes, partly inspired by Ovid's famous Metamorphoses. These works, attributed to the painter Francisco de Campos and dated to the late 16th century, display a rich color palette, a rigorous drawing, and a remarkable articulation with the space's architecture. Their technical quality and excellent state of preservation make them one of the most expressive examples of 16th-century mural painting in Portugal.

A Historical Setting

The Palace of the Counts of Basto is a place steeped in history, having been an integral part of the old Muslim alcazaba and later a royal residence. It hosted prominent figures such as D. Fernando, D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, and D. Catarina de Bragança, in addition to being the home of the Counts of Basto, a noble family that marked the region's history. Witness to assaults and major remodeling works, the palace continued to be a meeting point for European nobility in the 17th and 18th centuries. In more recent times, in the 20th century, it underwent important rehabilitation works that restored its original dignity, and today it houses a cultural foundation of significant importance, preserving its memory for the future.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt