Iglésias Palace

Category: Civil Architecture > Palace

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa

Location

The Iglésias Palace stands in the historic zone of Mártires, within the city of Lisbon. Its central location, next to Largo da Belas Artes, positions it at a pivotal point in the capital, where the city's history unfolds at every corner. This place, long a pulsating heart of Lisbon, is characterized by a dense urban environment and a notable past.

From Neoclassical Design to Historical Roots

Designed in 1859, the Iglésias Palace is a work by the Italian architect Giuseppe Cinatti. Its façade, with sober and elegant lines, reflects the style neoclassical that characterized the architecture of the era. Originally, this imposing building served as the main residence of the influential Iglésias family, connected to the worlds of commerce, banking, and military life.

A Building with Multiple Lives

Over the decades, the Iglésias Palace transformed, accommodating different purposes. From a family residence, it became an administrative hub, with part of the building serving the General Directorate of Livestock and, later, being acquired by the Portuguese State to house the Ministry of Economy. This transition of functions made the palace a privileged observer of crucial moments in Portuguese history, including the Revolution of April 25, 1974.

The Hidden Palimpsest

The Iglésias Palace holds secrets in its foundations. The building stands over the remains of the old Martyrs' Church, a 17th-century structure that was completely destroyed by the 1755 Earthquake. During repair works in 1976, ruins and even human bones belonging to this forgotten church were rediscovered. This superposition of constructions and histories makes the palace a true spatial palimpsest, where each layer reveals a different piece of Lisbon's memory.

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