Casa de Santa Cruz

Casa de Santa Cruz in Lamego, also called Casa dos Serpas, is a seventeenth-century noble residence in the lower part of the town. It belongs to the group of casas brasonadas, the "houses with coats of arms" that are among the hallmarks of Lamego's architectural heritage in northern Portugal.

Where is Casa de Santa Cruz?

The building stands in the lower part of Lamego, facing the courthouse (Palácio da Justiça). The Church and Convent of Santa Cruz, which gave the house its name, are close by. That makes it easy to combine a look at the house with a walk around this part of town.

Who built it, and why the name?

The residence was built for Simão Pereira Leitão Soares de Carvalho. His last three surnames appear in the coat of arms on the facade, a typical way for Portuguese nobility to mark their homes. The house kept the name Casa de Santa Cruz until 1844, when the Leitão family became connected with the Serpa Pimentel family. Since then it has also been known as Casa dos Serpas.

What does the architecture look like?

The house has two storeys and is typical of Portuguese Baroque style. Granite window frames and a balcony on the front stand out. Granite is the traditional material of the region, and it gives the building a sober yet elegant character.

The 1979 fire and the restoration

The most dramatic chapter in the building's history was the fire of 1979, which destroyed the residence completely. Only the granite elements survived. For some years the site lay in ruins. It was then carefully restored by the Ministry of Justice, which placed public services here: the civil and property registry, a notary office and the labour court.

Can you visit the interior?

Because the building houses public offices and a court, it is not a museum, and its interior serves mainly administrative purposes. Visitors usually admire it from the street, paying attention to the facade, the coat of arms and the granite details. It is worth checking access rules on site or at the local tourist office.

Frequently asked questions

Is Casa de Santa Cruz the same as Casa dos Serpas? Yes. Both names refer to the same house. The name Casa de Santa Cruz was used until 1844, and Casa dos Serpas came into use afterwards.

When was it built? In the seventeenth century. It represents Portuguese Baroque, with granite windows and a balcony on the facade.

What happened in 1979? A fire destroyed the house completely, leaving only its granite parts. The Ministry of Justice later rebuilt it.

What is it used for today? It hosts registry services, a notary and the labour court, so it is mainly a building to see from the outside.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The Church and Convent of Santa Cruz and other heraldic houses in central Lamego, which together make an interesting walking route through the town's noble heritage.