King Manuel's Palace

Evora is a real city-museum, in which numerous monuments were created over the centuries by great creators, forming an absolutely amazing atmosphere. It is a city with a rich cultural and historical past, so it is not surprising that the kings of Portugal chose Évora as their residence.

In 1490, the palace of King Manuel I was built here - a fine example of architecture. The palace in Évora is made in the Manueline style, which in those years was just beginning, and later became synonymous with the period of the highest power of Portugal.

For several centuries of its existence, the palace of King Manuel was both the residence of the royal court and served as a warehouse during the War of Independence. And it was here that His Majesty Manuel I appointed commander of the Indian fleet, who later became the legend of the navigator Vasco da Gama.

Transferred to the city in 1865, the palace was used as an archaeological museum. As a result of the fire of 1881, the roof of the palace was destroyed, and after restoration, the building was adapted for various public performances.

Another strong fire broke out in 1916, and as a result, the building was almost completely destroyed by fire, and in this form existed until 1943, when it was included in the restoration program of historical monuments.

Nowadays, on the site of the destroyed part of the palace, a city park is broken, and in the preserved elegant gallery there is an exhibition space. Numerous official ceremonies and cultural events are held here.