© Embaixada de França
Open Visits
Regular Visits
Saturday: 14h, 15h, 16h, 17h
Tours
No reservation required; first-come, first-served
Maximum 25 people per visit
Wheelchair access
Photography allowed
Description
With a long history, the Santos (Saints) Palace was named after the three martyrs buried there. In 1147 it became a convent exclusively for the daughters and widows of the Knights of the Order of Santiago, and has since served many functions. A private home for the bourgeoisie in 1490, it would become a royal residence shortly after, in 1497, for the purpose of hosting the wedding ceremonies of king Manuel I. Until 1909, it was home to the Lancastre family, who commissioned João Antunes with a series of striking improvements, namely the chapel, sacristy and porcelain room. It was during this time that more space was added to the palace, with the creation of the main halls facing a garden to the east, and the decoration of two halls was entrusted to painter Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho. In August 1909, the palace was acquired by the Minister of France as the headquarters of the Embassy and the Institut Français, which are still its current occupants.
Location
(Português) Rua de Santos-o-Velho, 5
Directions: Google Maps / Apple Maps
Public Transport
Bus: (Português) 15E, 706, 714, 727, 728
Train: (Português) Linha de Cascais - Santos