Palace of Saint Gertrude

Category: Civil Architecture > Palace

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Avenidas Novas

Location

The Santa Gertrudes Palace is located in the heart of Avenidas Novas, one of Lisbon's most dynamic and bustling areas. This location is in close proximity to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, an easily identifiable landmark in the urban landscape. Recently, the palace's surroundings have undergone transformations, with the removal of old walls that delimited part of its perimeter. This alteration has allowed for greater integration of the space with the urban environment, creating new pedestrian connections and a sense of greater spaciousness, inviting a more fluid observation of the ensemble.

A Building with Character

At the Santa Gertrudes Palace, observers immediately notice a building that stands out for its unique appearance, often described as a "castle." In reality, this construction housed the former stables and coach houses of the vast estate. Its architectural design, by the Italian architect Giuseppe Cinatti, is remarkable for its curious fusion of different styles. Elements reminiscent of medieval military constructions, windows with details evoking the Manueline style, and a clock tower that may, for some, recall the aesthetic of the Pena Palace in Sintra, are all identifiable.

The origin of this building is linked to José Maria Eugénio de Almeida, an influential 19th-century landowner. It is said that its construction was inspired by the owner's trip to Scotland, a gesture that aimed, in an original way, to demonstrate Portuguese mastery in the construction of exquisite equestrian facilities, similar to foreign noble residences.

Memories of an Ancient Park

The peculiar building of the former stables was once part of an extensive private green space known as Santa Gertrudes Park. This park holds a relevant chapter in Lisbon's history, as it hosted, between 1884 and 1909, the city's first Zoo and Acclimatization Garden. Engravings from the era reveal an exotic and lush park, punctuated by a large lake, a wide variety of trees and plants, and imaginative structures that housed over a thousand animals.

This remarkable past underscores the site's importance as a point of leisure and curiosity for Lisbon's residents of that time, before the Zoo moved to its current location. Today, the Santa Gertrudes Palace remains an architectural and historical testament to that era of grand urban estates and visionary ventures in the Portuguese capital.

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