Dr. Domingos Barbosa's House

Category: Civil Architecture > House

District: Porto > Porto > Porto

Location

Situated in the historic heart of Porto, this house is located on Rua de D. Hugo, in an area classified as a World Heritage site. Its urban setting is notable, positioned perpendicular to the street and benefiting from outdoor spaces, including a patio-garden. This garden, facing the main facade, is bordered by an ancient wall, part of the first enclosure of the Porto burgh, and an entrance portal decorated with heraldic motifs, such as lions and fleurs-de-lis, which mark its presence.

A Noble Legacy

The history of Casa do Doutor Domingos Barbosa dates back to the 18th century, having been built around 1730 by order of Doctor Domingos Barbosa, a Master Canon of the Porto Cathedral. Conceived as a stately residence, this construction reflects the opulence of the era and the influence of the arts on civil architecture. Throughout the centuries, the building has maintained its original layout, witnessing the city's transformations and preserving its character as a noble house.

The Poet's Collection

In the 20th century, the house gained new life when it was transformed into a cultural space dedicated to the illustrious writer Abílio Manuel Guerra Junqueiro. In 1940, his daughter, Maria Isabel Guerra Junqueiro, along with her mother, donated the property and the poet's valuable art collections to the Porto City Council, with the aim of establishing a museum there. Since then, the house has housed a diverse collection, including furniture, sculptures, various ceramics, and notable Nuremberg plates, reflecting Guerra Junqueiro's eclectic taste.

Architectural Details

This example of Porto Baroque architecture, attributed to the renowned Nicolau Nasoni, stands out for its composition and grandeur. The main facade, facing the garden, is marked by remarkable symmetry and the presence of two lateral square towers. These towers, with their chamfered corners, feature windows overlooking triangular terraces, which once served as viewpoints. Inside, a grand central staircase of three flights dominates the space, with a vaulted ceiling creating a Baroque "facade" in the entrance hall, adorned with openings framed in worked granite with arches and volutes.

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