Palácio dos Henriques, ou Palácio Tocha

Palácio dos Henriques, also known as Palácio Tocha, is an eighteenth-century palace in the centre of Estremoz, in the Évora District of Portugal's Alentejo region. Today it houses the Museu Berardo Estremoz, a museum devoted entirely to azulejos, Portugal's glazed ceramic tiles.

Where is the palace and how do you find it?

The building stands on Largo D. José I, in the heart of town, within the parish of Santa Maria and Santo André. Its coordinates are roughly 38.8449 N, 7.5880 W. Estremoz lies in the central Alentejo, so the palace fits easily into a walk through the historic centre.

Who built the palace and when?

The residence was built in the early 18th century for Captain Barnabé Henriques. His surname gives the building its main name, while the alternative name, Palácio Tocha, is used alongside it in heritage records and descriptions. The palace is listed in Portugal's inventory of architectural heritage.

What does the architecture look like?

The building has a rectangular plan, and its facade rises through three floors with regularly spaced windows. The window frames are cut from local marble, the stone Estremoz is known for. Ground-floor and upper-floor windows alternate, and those on the noble floor open onto balconies. Each crowning is finished differently: scrolls and curls in still-Baroque forms sit beside triangular pediments, triglyphs and pilasters that anticipate Neoclassicism. The result is a single structure that combines Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles.

What is there to see inside?

The walls of the rooms and corridors are covered with 18th-century azulejo panels in Baroque and Rococo styles. They show regional battle scenes, mythological scenes and rural scenes. This is one reason the palace is an exhibit in its own right.

What is the Museu Berardo Estremoz?

The palace hosts a museum dedicated exclusively to azulejaria, the art of tilework. It presents the heritage left by Islamic culture and is regarded as the largest and most important private tile collection in Portugal. Visitors can follow the development of an art form that became one of the most distinctive features of Portuguese architecture.

Frequently asked questions

Does the palace have another name? Yes, it is also called Palácio Tocha.

What is inside? The Museu Berardo Estremoz, a museum of azulejos.

What style is the building? It blends Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical elements.

When was it built? In the early 18th century, as the residence of Captain Barnabé Henriques.

Are the interiors worth seeing in themselves? Yes, the walls are covered with 18th-century azulejo panels showing battle, mythological and rural scenes.