Paiva de Andrade Palace

Category: Civil Architecture > Palace

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Misericórdia > Bairro Alto

Location

The Paiva de Andrade Palace is discreetly integrated into the urban fabric of Lisbon's Bairro Alto. Situated in the parish of Misericórdia, the building is located on one of the area's small and characteristic streets, Rua de São Boaventura, adapting its current name to Centro Social de São Boaventura. Its position in Bairro Alto gives it a unique atmosphere, far from the hustle and bustle of major avenues, inviting a more intimate discovery of the city's history.

Origin and Family Legacy

Dating back to the 18th century, the Paiva de Andrade Palace was once a sumptuous private residence, a stage for lively social and cultural evenings, where the Paiva de Andrade family received guests and displayed their art collections. However, it was a significant event in this family's life that would define the palace's future purpose. The premature death of their daughter Luísa, at twenty-two years old, led her mother, Carolina Picaluga Paiva de Andrade, to make a decision that would transform the building into a symbol of beneficence.

The Untouched Room and the Legend

In her will, Carolina Picaluga Paiva de Andrade bequeathed the palace to the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, with the clear instruction that an educational institute for underprivileged young women be created there, perpetuating her daughter's name. More than that, she imposed the condition that the room where Luísa died, on the upper floor of the palace, be kept untouched. For decades, this space remained sealed, preserving the memories and personal objects of a life cut short. This determination gave rise to a poignant legend, associating the room with a story of forbidden love and the deep remorse of the parents, making it a place of great symbolic and emotional significance.

A Contemporary Purpose

Currently, the Paiva de Andrade Palace continues to fulfill its original spirit of solidarity, operating as an intergenerational center. This space, which once echoed with laughter and music, is now a meeting point and support for different generations of the community. Although the intimacy of the "girl's room" remains respected, the rest of the palace has been restructured to foster sharing and coexistence, keeping alive the legacy of helping others that the Paiva de Andrade family so strongly wished to preserve.

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