Location: Largo do Palacio, Queluz Map
Constructed: 18th century
Tel. 214 343 860
Open: 9:30am- 5pm Wed- Mon
Closed: 1 Jan, Easter, 1 May, 29 Jun, 25 Dec
Queluz National Palace is a magnificent 18th century Portuguese estate in Queluz, Lisbon District. Queluz National Palace was constructed under supervision of an architect Mateus Vicente de Oliveira. The first owner of the residence was Dom Pedro of Braganza (1717 – 1786) who married his own niece and became king consort of Queen Maria I. After his death, his wife was quietly incarcerated here. Her mental state deteriorated and sudden attacks of delirium became common. Her screams echoed through the empty corridors and rear palace festivities reminded more of the religious service rather than a party. Eventually she was forced to leave Queluz Palace for Brazil. Napoleon Bonaparte's French army forced stormed into Iberian peninsula. This Rococo residence became a property of the state in 1908 and serves as a museum of history.
At the beginning of the XVII century, a country
estate near Lisbon belonged to Cristovan de Moura, Marquis de
Castelo Rodrigue (1538-1613), who repeatedly served Spain as Viceroy
of Portugal. His son, Manuel de Moura, 2nd Marquis de Castelo
Rodrigue (1590-1651) was also distinguished by his pro-Hispanic
views. After the Bragan dynasty came to power and the country gained
independence in 1640, this estate was confiscated along with many
others, after which it passed to the second son of King Juan IV. The
next owner was the second son of King João V (grandson of João IV),
the infante Don Pedro (1717–1786), and subsequently, after the death
of his older brother Jose I (1714–1777), who became king of
Portugal. With him, the country house began to be rebuilt into a
real palace. Construction began in 1747 and lasted almost half a
century, ending in the 1790s, after the death of the king.
In the beginning, the construction was led by Portuguese architect
Mateus Vicente di Oliveira. In 1755, due to a terrible earthquake in
the capital, all work in Kelush was interrupted. With the resumption
of construction in 1758, the Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Robillon, who
worked in Portugal since 1749, was involved in project management.
The Lion Staircase, a wonderful example of style, was completed by
him in 1779. The “artist of the king” Jean-Baptiste Pilman, who
lived in Portugal in 1750-1754 and 1780-1789, participated in the
work on the decoration of the Throne Hall, the Music Salon and the
Salon of Ambassadors.
In 1794, after a fire in the palace of Ajud, Kelush was forced to
become the permanent residence of Mary I (1734-1816), the daughter
of Jose I and the widow of Pedro III. Moreover, the Queen of Time,
the Queen, who suffered from mental illness, was already recognized
as insane. For days on end she lay in her apartment, frightening the
courtiers with terrible screams that echoed throughout the palace.
After the assassination of King Carlos I in 1908, the palace became
the property of the state. In 1940, a museum was opened here.
However, ceremonial halls are occasionally used for receptions at
the highest level. Since 1957, the doña Maria Pavilion in the east
wing serves to house the heads of foreign governments who are
visiting Portugal on a state visit.
Architecture
Being one of the last in time to create large examples of the Rococo
style in Europe, the Kelush Palace belongs to the best examples of
European architecture of the XVIII century. In the architectural
appearance of the palace, French classicism prevailed over Spanish
Baroque; however, in individual details, and in the overall
structure, the national identity of the building is visible. Local
artistic tastes and craft skills are organically woven into the
international style of European Rococo.
The Royal Palace of Kelush is often called the Portuguese Versailles
- however, it is much more chamber and elegant. The palace was built
as a summer suburban, village estate, where the royal family, not
burdened with the strict etiquette of the capital, could enjoy the
clean air and nature. The weakening of court norms of behavior here
is evidenced by the layout itself, in which the private chambers of
the monarchs and halls intended for the assembly of the audience
alternate at ease.
In accordance with the rococo fashion, delicate, fawn tones
predominate in the interiors and the color of the facade; Pale pink
is combined with light green, echoes of the green of the garden.
Because of its appearance, the writer Jose Saramago compared the
palace with candied almonds.