House of Santa Eufémia

Category: Civil Architecture > Manor House

District: Viseu > Mangualde > Alcafache > Quinta de Santa Eufémia

Location

Casa de Santa Eufémia is located in the area of Quinta de Santa Eufémia, in the village of Alcafache, which belongs to the municipality of Mangualde. The property is situated next to the entrance of the village of Tibaldinho, on the left bank of the Dão River, immersed in a landscape characterized by fields and forests, giving it a rural and tranquil atmosphere.

Memory and Heritage

Most likely dating back to the 18th century, Casa de Santa Eufémia was owned by the influential Amaral Pessoa family until the last quarter of the 19th century. The construction of the building and its annexed chapel reflects the ambition of its former owners to manifest power and social distinction through architecture. The cultural and historical value of the ensemble is recognized, having been classified as a property of Municipal Interest.

Exterior Architecture

The house displays an irregular volume plan that develops in a unique way. The west-facing façade is one of its most prominent features, with an imposing converging staircase that leads to the entrance, preceded by a balcony. An additional porch, supported by columns and pillars, subtly articulates with a lake. The chapel, adjacent to the house's main façade, reveals a more pronounced decorative concern in its crowning, where the Amaral Pessoa coat of arms can be observed. In contrast to the chapel, there is a cut-out fountain in Rococo style, covered with blue and white tiles on a marbled background, which houses the image of Our Lady with the Child.

Interior Details

Inside, Casa de Santa Eufémia maintains its original structure, allowing for the appreciation of several fireplaces, evidenced by the multiple chimneys rising above the roof. In various spaces, as well as in the wainscoting lining the chapel, there are checkerboard-patterned tiles, presumed to have come from the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Maceira Dão. The chapel communicates with the house through the high choir and houses a Rococo altarpiece, a Joanine-style tabernacle, and the images of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, which are attributed to Coimbra Renaissance sculpture workshops. The Amaral Pessoa family coat of arms also marks its presence on the chapel's pew benches.

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