Do you want to discover one of the most impressive buildings in Lisbon? Then you have to visit the magnificent Sao Bento Palace. Today, this is the seat of the Portuguese parliament, as well as one of the many must-sees in the metropolis. Don’t hesitate anymore! Come explore everything that the Portuguese capital has for you.
When the sixteenth century was running, Europe was facing one of its many plague epidemics, which quickly decimated the population of the different localities that were affected.
On that occasion, the plague hit Lisbon hard, so a large building had to be created to attend to all the victims. This place, which in addition to being a hospital also served as a religious monastery, became the Sao Bento Palace.
For many centuries, and even after the plague left the city, this building continued to function as the headquarters of a religious order. However, this changed in 1834, when the Portuguese state ordered the dissolution of all monastic orders.
From that moment on, the Sao Bento Palace underwent a long series of reforms, until it was established as the seat of the Parliament of Portugal. Today, it is still the main building of the Portuguese legislature, as well as becoming a first-rate tourist attraction.
Currently, the Sao Bento Palace is an extensive structure with four floors and very long corridors. It also has an immense front entrance, which stands out for its imposing arches and white neoclassical columns.
Similarly, in this entrance we find a wonderful sculptural ensemble, which is made up of the statue of a powerful crouching lion that guards the stairs of parliament.
While, adorning the pillars of the arches, there are four other neoclassical sculptures. Each of them represents temperance, justice, strength and prudence. The Sao Bento Palace also sports a majestic pediment, which is triangular in shape and was carved into the wall of the building itself.
This pediment, reminiscent of those of Ancient Athens, shows several characters gathered on an inscription that highlights the importance of loyalty to the Portuguese homeland.
However, the real treasure of the Sao Bento Palace is found inside, since here we can find a wide variety of works of art. Almost all of them are of Portuguese origin, and represent various artistic periods of national history.
In addition, the Sao Bento Palace houses an extensive library specialized in parliamentary functions, which houses more than 23,000 copies, several of them written by officials of the legislature itself.
Due to the fact that it is a political seat of enormous importance for Portugal, visits to the Sao Bento Palace are limited. But don’t be discouraged! Occasionally, guided tours are offered that will take you to know all the details of this building, which was cataloged as a National Monument in 2002 by the local administration.
Finally, keep in mind that if you sign up for the guided tours, you’ll also be able to walk through the extensive gardens of Sao Bento Palace, and even see some of the few remaining ruins of the original monastery.
© 2021 All rights reserved TRIP AIM
Made in ❤ TripAim
