Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta

Catherine’s whisper echoed through the halls of Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta. “Home,” she sighed, finally back in Lisbon after years in England as Queen. Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta, also known as Paço da Rainha, became her sanctuary in 1693. She’d returned a widow, King Charles II having left no legitimate heir. For a while, Catherine drifted between noble houses, guests of the Count of Redondo and the Count of Aveiras. But she yearned for her own space. She purchased land in Bemposta, a quiet area of Lisbon. An old chapel, dating back to 1501, already graced the land. Catherine incorporated it into her palace design. She commissioned the architect João Antunes, instructing him to build around her cherished chapel, dedicating it to Nossa Senhora da Conceição. Construction of Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta began in 1694. Antunes joined the project in 1702. By then, Catherine already resided within the partially completed palace. The building combined elegance and strength. Marble and limestone adorned the flourishes. Reinforced steel, wood, and masonry formed the sturdy core. Catherine enjoyed her palace for a few short years. She died at Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta on December 31, 1705. She bequeathed it to her brother, King Peter II of Portugal. He had ruled as regent for his mentally unstable brother, Afonso VI, and later became king himself. A royal chapel was added to Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta in 1706. In 1707, King John V designated the palace and grounds as part of the Casa do Infantado. It became the residence for the younger sons of the Portuguese monarchy. Infante Francis, Duke of Beja and brother of King John V, lived here. His son, João da Bemposta, earned his nickname from his time spent at the palace. The devastating Lisbon earthquake of 1755 severely damaged Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta. The royal chapel was completely destroyed. Manuel Caetano de Sousa oversaw the reconstruction and redesign. A new, elaborate chapel arose. It featured a rectangular vestibule and nave. Polychromatic mosaics adorned the floors. A portrait of the royal family, Maria I and Infante John with the court, depicted Lisbon as seen from São Jorge Castle, and was placed above the main altar. The palace chapel boasted its own choir from 1759. It employed an organist and singers, who performed regularly in Lisbon. Sadly, the original organ was moved to Queluz Palace by 1778. Eventually, the royal family favored other residences, and Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta fell into disrepair. By 1798, it stood abandoned and crumbling. The future King John VI briefly resided at Bemposta in 1803, but it wasn’t until after the royal family returned to Portugal in 1821 that the palace saw renewed attention. John VI returned to Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta and initiated renovations. He focused on the rooms behind the chapel and the upper floor near the gardens, attempting to restore the palace to its former glory. Key political events of John VI’s reign unfolded within these walls. This included the Vilafrancada and Abrilada insurrections. John VI died in his private quarters at Palácio do Paço Real da Bemposta on March 10, 1826.