Casa do Administrador

Casa do Administrador is a nineteenth-century house in Ourém, Portugal, where the three Fátima shepherd children were held in August 1917. Today it forms part of the Ourém Municipal Museum and makes a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in the story of the Fátima apparitions and in local heritage.

What is Casa do Administrador?

It is a former single-family home from the 19th century, lived in by the municipal administrator (administrador do concelho). The building stands at Largo Dr. Vitorino de Carvalho 14 in Ourém (postcode 2490-497). The municipality of Ourém bought it in 2003 to create a museum space. The site serves as a permanent facility dedicated to studying and promoting the cultural identity and heritage of the region.

How is it linked to the Fátima apparitions?

The house entered history through events in 1917. The three children, Lúcia, Francisco and Jacinta, stayed here between 13 and 15 August. Administrator Artur de Oliveira Santos interrogated them over their accounts of the apparitions. That connection places the house on the route of visitors who come to Fátima and want to learn about the lesser-known circumstances of those days.

What can you see inside?

The building hosts the Núcleo da Casa do Administrador, one branch of the Ourém Municipal Museum. Its displays cover several areas:

• archaeology of the region,
• ethnography, meaning everyday life and traditions of the local community,
• toys from earlier decades,
• postcards and photographs showing the atmosphere of the New Town (Vila Nova) of Ourém around 1900.

A visit therefore offers more than the Fátima story: it also shows what life in the area looked like at the turn of the 20th century.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Casa do Administrador? In the centre of Ourém, at Largo Dr. Vitorino de Carvalho 14, in central Portugal.

Who lived here? The administrator of the Ourém municipality. In 1917 that was Artur de Oliveira Santos.

Why is the house famous? From 13 to 15 August 1917 the three Fátima shepherd children, Lúcia, Francisco and Jacinta, were kept here and questioned by the administrator.

Is there a museum inside? Yes. It houses a branch of the Ourém Municipal Museum, with archaeological and ethnographic collections, toys, postcards and photographs.

Who owns the building? Since 2003 it has belonged to the municipality of Ourém.

Who is it for? Pilgrims and tourists visiting the Fátima area, regional history enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a quiet, small-scale exhibition in a historic interior.

Visitor tips

Combine the visit with a walk around Ourém itself, whose historic centre lies nearby. Opening hours and admission rules change, so check current details with the municipality or the tourist information office before you go. After its exhibition was renewed, the museum reopened with free admission, which is a welcome bonus when planning a trip.

The administrator's house shows that major religious and historical events unfolded in ordinary buildings of a small town. For many visitors, that context is what makes the stop worth their time.