The President Palace, Portugal

The President Palace is a large and decadently decorated Portuguese mansion. This house is located in picturesque countryside, well outside of any town or village. At the present time, I am unable to find additional history about this house.

We visited the President Palace in 2017, as we travelled across Portugal. It was clear the grounds were being cleared, therefore we were initially hesitant to enter the compound. Eventually, the owner appeared and greeted us. She allowed us to wander the grounds and house freely, as workers tidied and prepared the grounds for renovation. It seems likely that the renovation of this house was to begin presently.

Inside the President Palace

The most beautiful room at the President Palace is the dining room. The room is bright, with two patio doors leading outside. Moulded plasterwork with gold gilding decorates the ceiling.

In addition, beautifully painted scenes adorn the walls. Above the fireplace ladies and gentlemen relax near a gigantic fountain. Verdant parklands surround the wall fountain. Three painted scenes appear on the facing wall, separated into three distinct panels. Firstly, there is a scene of soldiers and wagons travelling on a road on the outskirts of a town. Similarly, the second painting depicts a waterway and bridges outside of the same town. These first two painted panels detail life surrounding this town. The third, in contrast, shows a more dramatic situation. In this painting, a volcano erupts in the background as the townsfolk try to calm their livestock.

There are several other rooms on the ground floor, which also have ornate ceilings. Some of these have begun to decay, and patches of beautiful plasterwork have fallen into the floor.

The entrance hall of the President Palace has a beautiful black and white tiled floor. The walls feature a painted border, with a striking black background. This border features stylised birds, dogs and cherubs. The ceiling plaster in this room has crumbled profoundly. This ceiling will certainly take some skilled craftsmanship to restore.

Buildings in the grounds surrounding the mansion

Notably, there are many buildings surrounding the President Palace. Tucked away at the end of the garden is a small and simple chapel. Adjacent to the house, there is a large pink building with an ornate roof. This large building is empty inside, but perhaps it was once used to host parties or social events. It is also possible this was area was used as storage.