Mateus Palace

Casa de Mateus, also known as the Mateus Palace, stands in the parish of Mateus, in the municipality of Vila Real. It is an 18th-century Baroque manor house, classified as a National Monument in 1910, and Wikipedia describes it as one of the most representative Baroque monuments in Northern Portugal.

The complex comprises the house, the gardens, the winery and the chapel. It remains privately owned and is today linked to the Fundação da Casa de Mateus (the Mateus Foundation).

History and architecture

• The palace was built in the first half of the 18th century on the initiative of António José Botelho Mourão, 3rd Morgado of Mateus. It replaced an earlier family house on the same site.
• The design is attributed to the architect Nicolau Nasoni.
• The chapel was completed in 1750, in the time of his son, D. Luís António de Sousa Botelho Mourão.
• Inside, the house holds furniture, tapestries, ceramics and a library of about 6,000 volumes, including an illustrated 1816 edition of Os Lusíadas.

Gardens and the Foundation

According to English-language Wikipedia, the gardens were reworked over several decades and, in the 1950s and 1960s, the lake that mirrors the façade was added. A sculpture by João Cutileiro was installed in 1981.

The Fundação da Casa de Mateus was created in 1970 and describes itself as "a cultural centre in the north of the country", with music, literature, exhibitions and educational activities throughout the year. The estate also produces wines, and the same source notes that the Mateus name gave rise to the well-known rosé wine brand.

Practical information

On its official website, Casa de Mateus gives daily opening hours of 9:00 to 18:00 and says it opens 364 days a year. Always confirm hours, available visits and prices directly with the Foundation: telephone +351 259 323 121, email visitas@casademateus.pt.

In town, you can continue with the Historic Centre of Vila Real.