Cultural Heritage
The construction of this Palace is associated with a curious Portuguese History fact: after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, King José had a tent complex installed in the Ajuda area (dubbed the "Royal Hut"). This area of the city is characterized by a low seismic risk and so the monarch moved there with his entourage. After a fire destroyed this structure by the end of the 18th century, the royal family gave orders for the construction a more solid building, then named Nossa Senhora da Ajuda Royal Palace. It was the official residence of the Portuguese royal family until the end of the Monarchy and implantation of the Republic, in 1910.
Ajuda National Palace shows collections of decorative arts from the 18th and 19th centuries, with tapestries, furniture, glass and ceramics, as well as paintings, engravings, sculptures and photos.
It is, of course, an admirable place to hold an event, with spacious rooms decorated in a 19th century style - it is said that it is the only palace in Lisboa open to the public that retains these characteristics.
