Mateus de Silveira Family Building or Mateus da Silveira House

Category: Civil Architecture > House

District: Faro > Faro > Faro

Location

This building is located at the corner where Infante D. Henrique, Gomes Freire, and Conselheiro Sebastião Teles streets meet, in a central area of Faro. Although originally situated on the city's periphery, urban growth eventually integrated the house into a consolidated block, surrounded by traditional constructions.

The surrounding area is characterized by narrow streets and residential and commercial buildings, maintaining the distinctive features of the historic city, with a typical and tranquil urban atmosphere.

Origin and Historical Context

The Casa de Mateus da Silveira was erected in the late 19th century by Mateus Joaquim da Silveira, an entrepreneur involved in the wine and timber trade, an activity of great importance in the region. This house represents an example of an urban estate, combining habitation and space for economic activities, characteristic of wealthy families of the time.

In 1888, the house gained prominence for having installed one of the city's first telephone sets, a landmark in the modernization of local communications.

Architecture and Structure

The building features a late-Romantic architecture, with a rectangular plan and a three-body main facade. Notable are the decorative elements in the moldings, cornices, and perforated parapets, which reveal the bourgeois taste of the era. The windows feature continuous balconies with iron balustrades and grated sills, lending elegance to the facade.

Originally, the stables were located in a separate building, on the other side of Rua Infante D. Henrique. This annex was later detached and converted into a tavern, demonstrating the separation between the domestic and economic functions of the property.

Transformations and Current Use

The building underwent recovery and adaptation works, particularly in 1992, when it was remodeled to house the Casa de Saúde de Santa Maria (Santa Maria Health House). This intervention preserved many of its original features, integrating new spaces to meet current demands, without compromising the historical and architectural value of the house.

Although not accessible for interior visits, the building remains a significant element in Faro's urban memory, observable and appreciable from its exterior, and for the role it played in the city's evolution.

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