Palácio Valenças

Palácio Valenças is a nineteenth-century palace in the historic centre of Sintra, Portugal. Today it serves the public: it houses the municipal historical archive and library, and one of its rooms hosts the meetings of the municipal assembly. It is also known as the Duche Palace, after the estate on which it was built.

Who built Palácio Valenças?

The palace dates from the second half of the 19th century and was commissioned by António Ferreira dos Anjos, a Lisbon merchant. Work on the site, which had previously held a municipal slaughterhouse, took place around 1877. He hired Giuseppe Cinatti, an Italian architect and stage designer, which helps explain the theatrical character of the building.

Where does the name Valenças come from?

The palace was originally tied to the Anjos family. The name changed when Luís Leite Pereira Jardim, 1st Count of Valenças, married Guilhermina Anjos, heiress of the merchant's fortune. From then on the building became known as the Valenças Palace. After the count died, the property passed to his son, Ricardo Anjos Jardim.

How did the palace become public property?

Ricardo Anjos Jardim sold the estate to Sintra's municipal chamber in 1936. From 1939 the building was adapted for new uses as a library, museum and historical archive. It has kept that cultural profile, and the Sala da Nau is where the municipal assembly meets.

What is the architecture like?

The palace blends Venetian and Gothic Revival elements. This eclecticism was typical of romantic 19th-century Sintra, when wealthy families built picturesque, almost stage-set residences. The building sits within the grounds of the former Quinta do Duche and reflects both the taste of the period's upper middle class and the social and artistic shifts of the age.

Is Palácio Valenças worth visiting?

If you want to see Sintra beyond the famous hilltop palaces, it is a good stop. It shows another side of the town: civic, urban, and tied to local memory and documents. Because part of the building has administrative functions, access to the interiors may vary, so check current opening hours with Sintra's tourist information before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Are Palácio Valenças and the Duche Palace the same place? Yes, they are two names for the same building.

Who designed the palace? Giuseppe Cinatti, an Italian architect and stage designer.

When did it become municipal property? In 1936, when Sintra's municipal chamber bought it from Ricardo Anjos Jardim.

What is it used for today? It houses the historical archive and library, and the municipal assembly meets in the Sala da Nau.

What style is it built in? A mix of Venetian and Gothic Revival motifs, typical of 19th-century Sintra.

Where is it? In Sintra, in the parish of Santa Maria e São Miguel, São Martinho e São Pedro de Penaferrim.