Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Setúbal > Santiago do Cacém > Santiago do Cacém > Santiago do Cacém, Santa Cruz e São Bartolomeu da Serra
The Palácio da Carreira is located in Santiago do Cacém, a city situated on the Alentejo Coast. This remarkable building is positioned in an urban area, yet with a certain isolation, its main facade facing a public square. This arrangement allows for the observation of the building's grandeur, while its sides and rear open onto more secluded spaces, such as a garden and a walled vegetable patch, both enclosed, lending the small palace an atmosphere of tranquility and privacy.
Also known as the Captain-Major's Palace, this small palace began to be built in the second half of the 18th century. Its construction was an initiative of José Joaquim Salema de Andrade Guerreiro de Aboim, who held the position of Captain-Major of the Ordenanças of Santiago do Cacém. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the Palácio da Carreira underwent several interventions, which enriched its architectural expression with the integration of different artistic languages, reflecting the tastes of each era.
The architecture of the Palácio da Carreira is a remarkable example of the transition and coexistence of styles, namely late Baroque, Neoclassical, and Romantic. The facades are marked by a harmonious cadence of openings and a notable decorative richness. Elements such as the elaborate pediments, florons, and mortar urns give the structure a grand and festive appearance, distinctive characteristics in the Alentejo landscape of the late 18th century. On the exterior, the triangular pediments already indicate the emergence of Neoclassicism, a style that reveals itself even more expressively inside the palace.
Although it is a private property, it is known that its interior houses a valuable artistic heritage. Its extensive collection of Neoclassical tilework is notable, complemented by a vast set of decorative paintings on walls and ceilings. These works depict a diversity of themes, from serene landscapes and mythological figures to representations of grotesques, garlands, and popular scenes, richly illustrating the evolution of artistic taste throughout the 19th century, from graceful Rococo to Romanticism.
In the southwestern part of the palace, there is a garden that integrates with its surroundings. This carefully designed green space is delimited by the construction itself and is enriched by a central pond. The pond is surrounded by boxwood-lined flowerbeds and various statues, elements that compose a picturesque scene. Although the garden is private in nature, its existence contributes significantly to the scenic beauty and grandeur of the Palácio da Carreira, complementing the view of the architectural ensemble and evoking the atmosphere of nobility and leisure that characterized this old residence.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.0160562,-8.6976607
Coordinates DMS: 38°00'57.8"N 08°41'51.6"W
Weather Santiago do Cacém
On-duty Pharmacy Santiago do Cacém
