São Bento Palace

Lisbon, Portugal

The Palácio de São Bento is the home of the Assembly of the Republic, the Portuguese parliament. The Palace has its origin in the first Benedictine monastery of Lisbon, established in 1598. In 1615, the monks settled in the area of the Casa da Saúde (Health House), that housed people sick with the plague. The new monastery was built during the 17th century following a Mannerist project by Jesuit architect Baltazar Álvares, later followed by João Turriano. The large building, of rectangular shape, had a church flanked by two towers, four cloisters, dormitories, kitchen, etc. When the construction works of the new building were almost finished, the destructive 1755 Lisbon earthquake damaged it.

After the Liberal Revolution (1820) and the suppression of religious orders in Portugal (1834), the monks were expelled from the monastery and the Portuguese Parliament was installed in the building. From then on, the old monastery was systematically adapted to its new functions. The first architect in charge was Possidónio da Silva, who designed the first session rooms.

The Chapter house of the monastery was totally remodelled by French architect Jean François Colson into a session room in 1867. The Portuguese Chamber of Peers met here until 1910, followed by the Senate and later the Corporative Chamber in this room, until the 1976 Constitution established unicameralism.

In 1895, a fire destroyed the session room of the lower house, and it was necessary to repair and expand the Parliament building. Portuguese architect Miguel Ventura Terra was put in charge of the remodelling project, which lasted until the 1940s. Ventura Terra built a new session room for the lower house (inaugurated in 1903) and altered the façade of the building, adding a neoclassical portico with columns and a triangular pediment. He also remodelled the atrium, the monumental inner stairway and many other rooms. The works were continued in the 1920s by architect Adolfo Marques da Silva.

In the 1940s, during Salazar's Estado Novo regime, the monumental stairway in front of the portico of the Parliament was completed. The stairway was designed by Cristino da Silva, who was also responsible for the project of the gardens in the back of the Palace.

Since Portugal became a democracy after the 1974 Carnation Revolution the area in front of the palace has been the most popular location for demonstrations held in Lisbon.

In 1999 an annex building was inaugurated near the old Palace. This modern structure was designed by Fernando Távora and allowed for an expansion of the space of the Portuguese Assembly without altering its historical outlook.

Just behind the main building there is a mansion that serves as residence for the Prime Minister of Portugal. The mansion, dated from 1877, was built within the garden of the old monastery. It has been the Prime Minister's official residence since 1938, when Salazar moved in.

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Details

Founded: 1598
Category: Museums in Portugal

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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User Reviews

Oleh Shpytko (7 months ago)
Palácio de São Bento Time spent: 2h Price: Free Time wait: 1h Public Visit: just during the 25 of April Car parking: available Bike parking: available WC: available Special point: the police check the visitors Palácio de São Bento is the seat of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic, the parliament of Portugal. Originally constructed in 1598 (as the monastery of the Benedictine Order), São Bento has served as the seat of Portugal's parliament since 1834. During the Portuguese constitutional monarchy, the palace served as the seat of the Cortes Gerais, the traditional parliament of Portugal, until 1910. The public visit is available during the specific hours of the 25 of April.
Isuru Dissanayake (9 months ago)
Portugal Parliament, located in the latter part of the Tram 28 tramline. It is an impressive architectural gem. Its grand facade and rich history make it a must-visit destination for those exploring the city's cultural heritage. Visitors can go up to the main entrance of the building. You can use the entrance gate in the left side of the building premises to enter into the place.
Talel M. (12 months ago)
The Lisbon Parliament is an iconic building with remarkable architecture. Its modern and elegant design blends traditional and contemporary elements, reflecting the significance of history and modernity in Portugal.
Jurgen Schouten (12 months ago)
Impressive neoclassical national assembly building of Portugal, in Lisbon. Its facades are built from natural stone. The interior is partly much older. Some parts may date back to the 17th century, when it was the site of a Benedictine monastery. In front of the building, a traditional styled military guard, pacing about according to tradition. Regretfully, the building is rarely open to the public since it is actively used as the national assembly of Potugal. Next to the building (south side) is a small town park with some nice sculptures, including big vases with winged lions, that offers nice photo opportunities.
Maria Burns (14 months ago)
Wow! We had a tour of this building with the fabulous and knowledgeable Paula!! Beautiful and very interesting! Muito obrigada!
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