What stories could these walls tell? The Palácio da Cruz da Pedra stands before us. It is a testament to Lisbon’s rich history. This noble house has seen centuries unfold. It has been a home to counts and viscounts. It has even housed a school.
Let’s delve into the history of the Palácio da Cruz da Pedra. The earliest mention of the Quinta da Cruz da Pedra dates back to 1606. At that time D. Álvaro Pereira owned it. His family resided here for many years. They expanded the house between 1656 and 1679.
Skip ahead to the late 17th century. D. Álvaro Pereira Forjaz Coutinho owned the Quinta. He married the daughter of the lord of Coutos de Freiris e Penegate in 1689. In 1719 D. Álvaro Pereira Forjaz Coutinho still lived at Quinta da Cruz da Pedra.
The Palácio changed hands and purposes many times. In 1725 D. Miguel Pereira Forjaz Coutinho leased the house to D. Isabel Bárbara Henriques. The annual rent was 280$000. By 1743 Captain João Ferreira da Costa Velho was renting the Quinta.
Interestingly the Pereira Forjaz family rarely lived in the Palácio in the second half of the 18th century. The Palácio was divided into three parts. These parts were rented out to various people. General José de Sousa Leite lived here in 1759. He had returned from governing Mazagão. Carlos da Silva Reis lived here from 1762 to 1763. He was the gatekeeper of the House of Bragança.
D. Miguel Pereira Forjaz Coutinho died in the Palácio da Cruz da Pedra in 1767. His son D. Diogo inherited the house. From 1777 to 1778 D. Catarina do Pilar lived here. She was the widow of the Morgado da Cova. She arranged for her niece D. Antónia Arrábida Pereira Forjaz to marry in the house’s oratory.
D. Miguel Pereira Forjaz lived in his Palácio da Cruz da Pedra in 1780 with three servants. He leased part of it to the Count of São Miguel. In 1785 Estevão Larroche’s brewery was set up in part of the Palácio.
The Palácio continued to be leased to various figures. In 1812 the Colégio de Nossa Senhora da Luz operated here. An advertisement in the Gazeta de Lisboa in 1816 announced the sale of furniture. D. Miguel Pereira Forjaz owned the houses. They were located near the Convento das Freiras de Santos.
D. Miguel Pereira Forjaz was granted the title of Count of Feira in 1820. He was a member of the Regency Council. He was responsible for Foreign Affairs and War. This was when King D. João VI was in Brazil. D. Miguel owned the Palácio da Cruz da Pedra until his death on November 6 1827.
After D. Miguel’s death D. Maria Joana Pereira Forjaz leased the Palácio to the Marquis of Vagos. In 1829 D. Maria Joana Pereira Forjaz moved back into the Palácio. She was the Viscountess of Vila Nova de Souto d’el-Rei. Her husband Francisco Almada e Mendonça was a minister in Rome. He commissioned the altarpiece for the Palácio’s chapel.
In 1873 José Joaquim de Oliveira acquired the property. In 1875 the Countess da Foz D. Mariana Palha de Faria e Lacerda bought the Palácio. In 1884 the Countess da Foz sold the Palácio. D. Gonçalo Pereira da Silva de Souza e Meneses the 3rd Count of Bertiandos bought it. He was married to D. Ana de Bragança of the House of Lafões.
The Palácio’s facade has been modified over the years. Doors were added to the facade facing Calçada da Cruz da Pedra in 1884. Today the Palácio da Cruz da Pedra stands as a private residence. It is a reminder of the many stories that have unfolded within its walls. It is a silent witness to Lisbon’s ever-changing history.