Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Belém
The National Coach Museum is located in the historic area of Belém, Lisbon, in an area close to the Tagus River. The museum occupies two distinct buildings situated opposite each other in Praça Afonso de Albuquerque. The most recent building was designed to integrate into the urban fabric, establishing pedestrian connections with the riverside area.
The collection of the National Coach Museum is internationally renowned for its uniqueness, bringing together a vast collection of animal-drawn vehicles. Here, visitors can observe an impressive variety of gala, travel, and promenade coaches dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Most of these pieces belonged to the Portuguese Royal House, although the collection also includes vehicles from other origins, such as Church property and private collections.
This remarkable ensemble eloquently illustrates the technical and artistic evolution of these means of transport, from the oldest models to the more comfortable berlins of the 19th century. In addition to the vehicles, the museum also preserves other elements related to the equestrian world and royal processions, such as elaborate harnesses and historical uniforms.
The creation of the National Coach Museum in 1905 was an initiative of Queen D. Amélia of Orléans and Braganza. Her objective was to safeguard and exhibit to the public the valuable collection of coaches belonging to the Portuguese Royal House. The chosen location to house this pioneering collection was the old Royal Riding School of Belém Palace.
Over time, the need for more space for the growing collection became evident. In 2015, most of the collection was transferred to a new and more spacious building, constructed specifically for this purpose. However, the Old Riding School maintains an exhibition core, allowing visitors to learn about the museum's history in its original location.
The museum is distributed across two distinct spaces, each with its own identity. The Old Royal Riding School, part of the Belém Palace complex, is a neoclassical building that originally served for the practice of equestrian art. Its interior features a historical atmosphere, with decorated ceilings and galleries from which the court watched events.
In contrast, the more recent building, inaugurated in 2015, represents a contemporary architectural vision, signed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha. This new space, ample and luminous, was conceived not only to exhibit the collection under modern conditions but also as an element of urban regeneration, creating an accessible public square and connecting with the surroundings of Belém. The main pavilion, with its elevated structure, houses the central exhibition, while an annex complements the facilities.
Among the many vehicles on display, some stand out for their imposing nature, decorative richness, or historical value. The museum houses Philip II's Coach, considered the oldest in the collection. Visitors can admire the grand 18th-century gala coaches, used in royal ceremonies, which reflect the zenith of the Portuguese court's power, particularly during the reign of D. João V.
Particular attention should be paid to the sumptuous coaches of the Embassy sent to the Pope in 1716, true examples of Italian Baroque. Other notable examples include D. José's Coach, with its exuberant Portuguese Baroque decoration, and the vehicles that witnessed historical events such as the "Exchange of Princesses" or, later, the Regicide Landau.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.6965974,-9.1984467
Coordinates DMS: 38°41'47.8"N 09°11'54.4"W
Weather Lisboa
On-duty Pharmacy Lisboa
