Garden of Quinta de Santa Clara

Category: Nature > Garden

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Santa Clara > Quinta de Santa Clara

Location

Situated in the Quinta de Santa Clara urbanisation, in Lisbon, this garden is located on a high slope in the Ameixoeira valley. Its position offers a wide and unobstructed perspective of the urban and natural surroundings, with the landscape extending to the hills that border the Loures valley. The visibility of its dense tree cover is remarkable for those travelling along Estrada da Ameixoeira, which runs parallel to this green space.

A Historical Legacy

The Quinta de Santa Clara Garden, often known as Ameixoeira Garden, has its roots in a vast recreational area dating back to the 18th century. Its history is marked by various changes in ownership, but it was in 1926 that banker Augusto Carreira de Sousa acquired the estate, giving it its current name and undertaking significant renovations. His initials, ACS, engraved on a medallion on the main wrought-iron gate, bear witness to this phase of its transformation. This leisure space was later donated to the Lisbon City Council in the 1970s, and was opened to the public as a municipal garden from 1975 onwards, after a period of adaptation and requalification.

Aesthetics and Ambiance

With approximately 18,000 square metres, this garden reveals a layout that reflects Baroque influences, visible in its symmetrical and geometric design. A structure of decreasing levels, separated by balustrades and connected by staircases, organises the space into distinct tiers. In the centre of the intermediate level, a serene lake with classic shapes and water fountains stands out, flanked by beds of trimmed boxwood that reinforce its symmetry. Throughout the garden, dirt paths invite peaceful strolls, sheltered by the shade of large trees such as Lebanon cedars, plane trees, palm trees, and eucalyptus, which contribute to an atmosphere of abundant freshness and tranquillity.

Artistic Details

Among the elements that enrich the character of this garden are notable benches covered with tile panels. Dating from 1941 and originating from the Fábrica de Sant’Ana, these tiles display romantic motifs in blue and white tones, adding a touch of art and history to the green scenery. These pieces invite moments of contemplation, reflecting the continuity of aesthetic appreciation for the space by the family that shaped it in the 20th century. The botanical diversity, with specimens of olive trees, Chinese hackberries, euonymus, and bougainvillea, complements the landscape's richness, providing a varied visual experience throughout the different seasons of the year.

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