Palácio da Mitra, aqueduto, pombais, chafarizes, igreja, monumental portão de entrada e toda a área murada da antiga quinta

Palácio da Mitra in Santo Antão do Tojal is a former summer residence, first of the Archbishops and later of the Patriarchs of Lisbon. It stands in the municipality of Loures, Lisbon District, north of the Portuguese capital. The whole complex, meaning the palace, aqueduct, dovecotes, fountains, church, monumental entrance gate and the walls of the old estate, is protected as a single heritage ensemble. It is also known as the Palace of the Archbishops (Palácio dos Arcebispos) or Quinta da Mitra.

How did the residence come about?

The land began as a rural estate called Santo António do Tojal. It belonged to a certain Pedro Viegas and was acquired by the Bishop of Lisbon, Domingos Anes Jardo. The first known palace was built around 1554 by Archbishop Fernando de Vasconcelos. The same prelate was responsible for building the Church of Santo Antão do Tojal, which still stands beside the residence.

The Baroque rebuilding

In the 18th century the first Patriarch of Lisbon, Tomás de Almeida, had the palace rebuilt in the Baroque style. The Italian architect Canevari was responsible for the current design and worked on it until 1732. The result is a simple rectangular episcopal building with a chapel attached on the left side.

What to see on site

• The court of honour: a large courtyard in front of the palace, enclosed by a wall.
• The entrance gate: a round-arched portal flanked by split ashlar stones and topped with a cornice.
• Service buildings: an aqueduct, dovecotes and water tanks, a reminder that the residence was also a working country estate.
• Fountains: part of the garden layout of the former quinta.
• The church: a 16th-century building tied to Archbishop Vasconcelos.
• The walls: they enclose the entire former estate and show its scale.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Palácio da Mitra? In Santo Antão do Tojal, municipality of Loures (parish of Santo Antão e São Julião do Tojal), Lisbon District. Coordinates: 38.851433, -9.139555.

Who built it? The first palace dates from around 1554, commissioned by Archbishop Fernando de Vasconcelos. The current Baroque form comes from the time of Patriarch Tomás de Almeida, to a design by Canevari, with work continuing until 1732.

What was it used for? It was a summer residence, first of the archbishops and then of the patriarchs of Lisbon.

What does the complex include? The palace with its chapel, an aqueduct, dovecotes, fountains, a church, a monumental entrance gate and the walled grounds of the former estate.

Is it worth a day trip from Lisbon? For anyone interested in religious and Baroque architecture, yes. The ensemble shows what a suburban residence of the Portuguese clergy looked like, together with its full support infrastructure: water supply, dovecotes and a walled estate.

Why it matters

Palácio da Mitra brings several eras together in one place: the archbishop's 16th-century foundation, the Baroque rebuilding under the first patriarch, and the surviving farm layout of the old quinta. It is not a single building but an entire ensemble, with water carried by an aqueduct, dovecotes, fountains, a church and a wall marking the boundaries of the former estate. A complete residential complex like this is a rare witness to the life of Church dignitaries around Lisbon, which is why it is protected as one coherent heritage site.