Episcopal Palace, Porto

The Episcopal Palace (Portuguese: Paço Episcopal) is the residence of the bishops of Porto, in Portugal. The palace is located on a high elevation, near Porto Cathedral, and dominates the skyline of the city. It is part of the historical centre of Porto, designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The palace is an important example of late Baroque and Rococo civil architecture in the city.

History

The original Episcopal Palace of Porto was built in the 12th or 13th century, as attested by some architectural vestiges like romanesque-style windows that exist inside the present building. In 1387, this mediaeval palace witnessed the marriage of John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster.

During the 16th and 17th centuries the palace was greatly enlarged, and an old drawing shows it to be composed of a series of buildings with towers, as was typical for the architecture of Portuguese manor houses of the period. The present palace, however, is the result of a radical rebuilding campaign carried out in the 18th century, which turned it into a baroque work.

It is believed that the project for the Bishop's Palace was drawn in 1734 by the

The building was used as residence for the bishops of the city until the 19th century. During the

The Episcopal Palace is of rectangular shape with a courtyard in the middle. The main façade is painted white with three rows of windows and a central portal in dark granite. The frames of the higher row of windows come in different Rococo frames. The main portal has a balcony topped by the coat-of-arms of Bishop Rafael de Mendonça, who saw the completion of the building.

Upon entering the palace, the visitor goes through a long vestibule that leads to the

• List of Baroque residences

References

• The Palace in the Portuguese Institute of Architectonic Heritage.

41°08′31″N 8°36′42″W / 41.1420°N 8.6116°W / 41.1420; -8.6116