Royal Tapada Palace of Vila Viçosa

Category: Civil Architecture > Palace

District: Évora > Vila Viçosa > Vila Viçosa > Nossa Senhora da Conceição e São Bartolomeu

Location

The Paço da Tapada Real is located in Vila Viçosa, in the area of Nossa Senhora da Conceição and São Bartolomeu. It is situated northeast of the town, at the point known as Alto de São Bento. This position, being the closest to the urban area, marks the main entry point to the vast expanse of the Tapada Real.

Royal Origins

This site has its roots in the early 16th century. It was around 1515 that D. Jaime, the 4th Duke of Bragança, ordered the establishment of the space, a few years after the construction of the magnificent Ducal Palace. The Tapada Real was originally conceived as a hunting preserve, an exclusive domain for the nobility, which was expanded over the centuries by various monarchs, underlining its importance to the House of Bragança.

The Entrance Gate

The Paço da Tapada Real corresponds to the imposing São Bento Gate, also historically known as Porta da Tapada or Porta Real. This served as the main access route to the Tapada and established a direct connection with the Ducal Palace. To pass through this entrance is to glimpse one of the most significant testaments to landscape management and the hunting tradition associated with the former Portuguese royalty.

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