St. Helena Palace

Category: Civil Architecture > Palace

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > São Vicente de Fora

Location

The Santa Helena Palace is located in one of Lisbon's highest and most historic areas, in the heart of the Alfama district. Its privileged position offers a particular emphasis, facing south, and provides extensive views over the Tejo River estuary.

Integrated into one of the city's oldest and most emblematic areas, the palace emerges within a dense urban fabric, characteristic of Alfama, where Lisbon's history is manifested in every street and corner.

History and Transformation

The history of the Santa Helena Palace dates back to the 17th century, although its genesis began with the acquisition of various plots by the Siqueira family, starting in 1594. This notable family inhabited the palace for about three centuries, marking it with their presence and influences.

Over the centuries, the building underwent various interventions, some motivated by significant events such as the 1755 earthquake, others resulting from the evolution of the family's social status. These modifications shaped its structure, reflecting the different periods and programmatic needs that emerged.

The Architectural Rescue

In more recent times, the palace went through a period where its nobility and architectural coherence were compromised by less sensitive interventions. However, a thorough rehabilitation project aimed to restore the Santa Helena Palace to its dignity and structural clarity.

This intervention included the removal of elements that distorted its heritage value and the correction of details such as the roofs, so that every part of the building reflected its historical origin. One of the central aspects was the creation of a large access courtyard, which functions as a central "void," organizing the space and highlighting the main volume of the palace. The project's main objective was to rehabilitate the heritage, allowing the grandeur of a space that once belonged to a single family to now be reinterpreted and shared, honoring the identity of this building with over five hundred years of history.

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