In the first half of the 18th century, King John V planned to build a summer residence in the Ajuda hill. The building of this Royal Palace in this place, however, would take place only after the Earthquake of 1755 which destroyed the royal residence, Paço da Ribeira (Ribeira Palace), at the Terreiro do Paço (Palace Public Square).
Although this palace was never completed as planned due to the exile of the royal family in Brazil caused by the French invasion of Portugal, it is still one of Europe's most perfect romantic buildings.
Its interior is richly filled with furniture, tapestries, statues, and extravagant decorative arts, the result of unprecedented wealth in the 1700s when diamonds were discovered in the then Portuguese colony of Brazil.
The Palace was closed after the proclamation of the Republic in 1910 and reopened to the public in 1968, as a Museum. Gathering important collections from the 15th to the 20th century, mainly of decorative arts, the Palace is still used by the Portuguese State for official ceremonies.
Although this palace was never completed as planned due to the exile of the royal family in Brazil caused by the French invasion of Portugal, it is still one of Europe's most perfect romantic buildings.
Its interior is richly filled with furniture, tapestries, statues, and extravagant decorative arts, the result of unprecedented wealth in the 1700s when diamonds were discovered in the then Portuguese colony of Brazil.
The Palace was closed after the proclamation of the Republic in 1910 and reopened to the public in 1968, as a Museum. Gathering important collections from the 15th to the 20th century, mainly of decorative arts, the Palace is still used by the Portuguese State for official ceremonies.
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