Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa, Renaissance palace in Vila Viçosa, Portugal.
The Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa is a Renaissance building with a marble facade and three floors containing over 50 rooms. The spaces are furnished with period pieces and display objects collected over centuries by the family that lived here.
Construction began in 1501 under Duke Jaime of Braganza as a private residence. The building later became home to the Portuguese royal family, a role it held until the monarchy ended in 1910.
The palace shows how Portuguese nobility lived through its displayed tapestries, carriages, and paintings collected over centuries. Walking through the rooms, you see the objects and furnishings that filled their daily lives and reflected their status.
The building is easy to walk through and the rooms are clearly marked, making navigation simple. A typical visit takes a few hours to see the different spaces and collections throughout the palace.
The palace armory holds one of Europe's largest collections of armor and weapons, including rare ceremonial suits from the 16th century. This military collection reflects the family's power and influence on the peninsula.
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