House of Diogo Cão

Category: Civil Architecture > House

District: Vila Real > Vila Real > Vila Real > Vila Velha

Location

Situated in the central area of Vila Real, in the Vila Velha zone, the Diogo Cão House is integrated into the city's historic urban fabric. Its main facade, facing east, stands out on one of the most well-known avenues, forming part of an architectural ensemble that includes an arch connecting it to an adjacent building, contributing to the unique atmosphere of this place.

The Legacy of Diogo Cão

This house is recognized by local tradition as the birthplace of Diogo Cão, the notable 15th-century Portuguese navigator. According to popular belief, it was here that the man who, in 1482, discovered the mouth of the Zaire River was born, a feat of great importance for the history of the Discoveries. Although there is no definitive documentary proof for this association, tradition gives the building symbolic value and a link to one of the most emblematic figures in Portuguese navigation.

Architecture and History

The Diogo Cão House is an example of civil architecture that arose in the town in the second half of the 15th century, the period of its probable original construction. The building features a rectangular floor plan structure, divided into three floors, and displays exterior walls of exposed granite masonry, characteristic of local construction. An exterior stone staircase, covered by an arch, is one of its most distinctive elements on the main facade. Different types of openings are observed on the floors, with ogee arches on the first floor and straight lintels on the upper floors.

Throughout the centuries, the building underwent several interventions. In addition to works aimed at its ennoblement in the 16th and 17th centuries, the house also suffered significant restoration campaigns in the 20th century, after two devastating fires. These renovations, particularly those that occurred in the 1930s and 1940s, significantly altered its design, meaning that the current appearance, although preserving the essence of its robustness, differs from its original 16th-century configuration.

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