Casa de Ramalde

Did the Casa de Ramalde always look so grand? Well, let me tell you, the Casa de Ramalde has seen its share of drama. This isn’t just another pretty facade in Porto. It’s a survivor. The Casa de Ramalde, dating back to the late 15th or early 16th century, stands before you as a testament to resilience. Originally owned by the widow and children of Vasco Gil de Bacelar, the Casa de Ramalde later passed into the hands of João Dias Leite. Imagine the property then, a sprawling estate, the Quinta de Ramalde. The Leite family truly made their mark here. In 1591, the nuns of the Convent of São Bento de Avé-Maria built a chapel on the grounds. Inside, you can still find stones bearing the Leite family name. This chapel showcases a significant 18th-century intervention, attributed to none other than Nicolau Nasoni, the architectural genius behind some of Porto’s most iconic landmarks. The Casa de Ramalde itself is a blend of styles, reflecting its long history. The original building underwent changes, creating a connection between the main house and the old Chapel of São Roque. The architectural complex includes the house, the chapel, the agricultural land, and even a baroque-style garden. The story takes a dramatic turn in the early 19th century. The Casa de Ramalde gained a new, grim nickname: “Quinta Queimada,” or the “Burned Farm.” Tradition holds that the house was caught in the crossfire of the Second French Invasions in 1809, set ablaze by Soult’s troops. Can you imagine the devastation? But the Casa de Ramalde refused to be erased. In 1870, the then-owner began restoring the house, breathing life back into its scorched walls. Years later, in 1977, after the land was sold to the State, the National Museum of Literature took up residence here, from 1968 to 1988. And today, the Casa de Ramalde houses the Directorate of Cultural Heritage Services. From a rural estate to a burned-out shell to a museum and now a government office, the Casa de Ramalde has endured.