Necessidades Palace
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| Necessidades Palace | |
|---|---|
| Native name | |
| Architectural style(s) | Baroque |
Portuguese National Monument | |
| Official name | Palácio das Necessidades |
| Type | Property of Interest |
  Location of Necessidades Palace in Portugal | |
The Necessidades Palace (Portuguese: Palácio das Necessidades) is a historic building in the Largo do Rilvas, a public square in Lisbon, Portugal. It serves as headquarters of the Portuguese Foreign Ministry. The Palace has been classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1983.[1]
History
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Formerly a convent belonging to the Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, it was built in the 18th century, by order of King John V, in gratitude for prayers answered by Our Lady of Needs, whose first devotional chapel stood on this site.[2]
The palace became the residence of the kings of the Braganza dynasty, beginning in the reign of Maria II, and all subsequent monarchs lived there, except for her son, Luís I, who preferred to use the Palace of Ajuda. Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, husband of Maria II, lived in this palace until his death, amassing a large collection of art, which would be dispersed after his death. The palace then underwent several renovations to accommodate the taste of the various monarchs who lived there, the most recent of which was carried out at the beginning of the twentieth century by Carlos I. He enlarged the state dining room because of the frequency of diplomatic activity undertaken there.
The palace was the scene of memorable events in Portuguese history, some momentous, some tragic, some slightly ridiculous. One famous example: the king
On 5 October 1910, during the
Many works of art housed in the palace were the private property of Manuel II and followed him to his residence in exile in London.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
After the proclamation of the republic on 5 October 1910, the palace remained unoccupied for almost 40 years. In around 1950 it became the headquarters of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a function that continues until the present day. Most of the royal collections, of art, furnishings and other
Just as the word Whitehall is a convenient way of referring to the British government, today, any use of the word Necessidades is a shorthand way of speaking of the Portuguese foreign ministry or the foreign policy of Portugal, in general.
See also
- List of Baroque residences
- Lisbon regicide
References
- ^ "Palácio das Necessidades". www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-04-18.
- ^ "O Palácio das Necessidades :: Quero aprender :: Quero Saber Mais :: Governo de Portugal". Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
External links
