Residence of Mesquitela

Residence of Mesquitela (Casa de Mesquitela)
Residence (Casa)
Named for: Mesquitela
Country  Portugal
Region Centro
Subregion Dão-Lafões
District Viseu
Municipality Carrazeda de Ansiães
Location Mesquitela
 - elevation 46 m (151 ft)
 - coordinates 40°35′6.38″N 7°45′13.46″W / 40.5851056°N 7.7537389°WCoordinates: 40°35′6.38″N 7°45′13.46″W / 40.5851056°N 7.7537389°W
Length 21.28 m (70 ft), West-East
Width 15.28 m (50 ft), Southwest-Northeast
Architects unknown
Materials Granite, Masonry, Wood, Tile, Azulejo
Origin 16th century
Owner Portuguese Republic
For public Private
Visitation Closed
Easiest access Mesquitela, Rua Direita, northeast of the Estrada Nacional 232
Management Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico
Status Property of Public Interest
Listing Decree 67/97; DR301, 31 December 1997

The Residence of Mesquitela (Portuguese: Casa de Mesquitela), is a signeurial building typical of the Beira historical region, in the civil parish of Mesquitela, municipality of Mangualde.

History

Its construction was started and/or completed between the end of the 16th century or beginning of the 17th century, although some suggest the 1500s.[1][2]

By 1678, the house as associated with a Domingos do Amaral.[1]

Alterations were made to the house with the inclusion of a formal chapel in 1722 (from an inscription on the door of the chapel).[1] Sometime during the 18th century it became a headquarters for forces during the third Napoleonic invasion of Portugal.[1]

Similarly, during the Liberal Wars Brigadeir Manuel Cardoso de Faria Pinto, used this reside (where lived at that time) as base during the battles between absolutists and liberals.[1]

On 2 January 1997, from a dispatch of the Ministry of Culture (Portuguese: Ministro da Cultura), the residence was classified as a Property of Public Interest (Portuguese: Imóvel de Interesse Público): since 1988, it had already been adapted as a tourist residence.[1]

Architecture

The residence is into the rural countryside of Mangualde, encircled by walls that divide several patios (with the exception of the western and eastern flanks).[1]

Its horizontal plan is composed of a single floor, divided into various spaces and covered in tile roofing.[1][2] Entrance into the building is made by large portico surmounted with a coat-of-arms framed in sectioned gables, over cornice.[1][2] The coat-of-arms was sculpted in the 18th century, and belongs to the descendents of the Cardosos, Farias, Amarais and Coutos hereditary lines.[2] The doorway gives access to the main courtyard and Couto de Homiziados (a frontier space that provided sanctuary from justice).[1][3] This principal facade is surrounded by porch supported by cylindrical columns with rectangular base.[1]

Doors around the house follow the lintel line, while the sash windows have granite frames, which are repeated all around the property.[1] The rear facade, also with access to the interior, is preceded by five granite steps.

A chapel abuts the lateral facade of the residence, built in 1722 and dedicated to Santo António, with its main entrance topped by a niche with the image of the patron.[1][2] To the right of this portico was originally a pulpit in rock, since removed.[2]

The parcel's surrounding walls have several openings to access the patios.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 Matias, Cecília (1997), SIPA, ed., Casa da Mesquitela (v.PT021806110026) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 2 April 2012
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Oliveira, Catarina (27 July 2006). GIF/IPPAR, ed. "Casa da Mesquitela" (in Portuguese). Lisbon, Portugal: IGESPAR - Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico. Retrieved 2 April 2012. Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  3. ↑ Margarida Garcez Ventura (1990), p.603-604
Sources