Palacio Belmonte

Palácio Belmonte is considered one of the oldest palaces in Lisbon. It was built in 1449 by Brás Afonso Correia, a worker in the court of King Dom Manuel I and the Comptroller of Lisbon. It was constructed over Roman and Moorish ruins around the ancient Alcáçova and Moorish walls, which were around 1,500 years old at the time.[1] Riu de Figueiredo turned it into a manor house by acquiring and transforming land, old houses, a yard, and a stall. At this time, the complex included the walls, a door called D. Fradique, three towers, a turret, and two towers (both dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries).

Aside from the Roman and Moorish foundations, the oldest parts of the palace include a medieval keep and fortifications, which were constructed with Roman and Moorish influences.[2]

In 1503, after leading the first European expedition to reach Brazil, Pedro Álvares Cabral built the first part of the present palace in 1503. As Palácio's neighborhood and the primitive nucleus of Lisbon, Almafa, became the stage for major national events, Palácio Belmonte assumed an important role as well. For instance, Vasco da Gama was received there after his successful return from India. The palace was also where Gil Vicente presented his first play, and the famous Portuguese historian Fernão Lopes wrote his famous chronicles.

In 1640, the year when the palace underwent its most significant restoration, the building was expanded by adding what is now known as the Terrace Suites and the five facades in the classical style. These changes constitute the most of what we see of the palace today. Between 1720 and 1730, two great masters of Portuguese tiles, Manuel Santos and Valentim de Almeida, contributed a unique collection of 59 panels. The panels contained more than 30,000 tiles, depicting episodes of Christianity and scenes from the Portuguese court of that time. On the main door, there are the weapons of Figueiredo, with five fig leaves that accompany the words Pro Deo Pro Patria PN AM.

The palace also features notable architectural features such as vaulted ceilings, arched doorways, and painted frescoes, among others. The palácio's collection of tiles, peculiar eighteenth-century fireplace, and its garden with a stunning view over Alfama, São Vicente de Fora, and the Tagus river, earned Belmonte recognition as a National Heritage site.

Today, it has been transformed into a luxury hotel, consisted of 10 suites. Each suite is named after a major figure of Portuguese history: Fernão Magalhães, Egas Moniz, Fernão Mendes Pinto, Gil Vicente, and Bartolomeu de Gusmão, among others.

Frederic Coustouls purchased and restored the palácio in 1994 with the assistance of the city of Lisbon and the European Union.[3] The restoration focused on the creation of spaces and rooms that feature distinctive character with an emphasis on intimacy.[4] In addition, the builders also integrated elements of sustainable design, using heavy insulation, large windows, and natural ventilation.

German director Wim Wenders chose the Palace to shoot his film Lisbon Story. Marcello Mastroianni also used the Palace, for the film Sostiene Pereira.