Araújo Guimarães Palace

Araújo Guimarães Palace in Alcobaça

Araújo Guimarães Palace is a 19th century residence inspired by Brazilian architecture due to the passage of its owner, Araújo Guimarães, in Brazil in search of better living conditions.

It was precisely after his return from Brazil that the Palace was built for the family.

With the death of the owner, the palace was inherited by one of his daughters, Lídia Araújo Guimarães, who in the meantime had married a German engineer, Júlio Biel, who had come to Alcobaça to electrify the village.

However, the outbreak of World War I brought about the German defeat and with it the expropriation of the Germans’ assets.

In this context, the palace was sold by public auction to a company that founded “Alimentícia, Lda” there, a factory of jams, fruit preserves, flour and sweets.

The factory gained some national prestige and worked until 1985, having subsequently been purchased by the Alcobaça Municipal Council and where the Alcobaça Municipal Library is now installed.

Is an excellent example of romantic architecture in Alcobaça and can be seen together with other examples with same architectural style, such as Chalet Fonte Nova, Chalet Rino, Palacete do Pena, Palacete Bernardino Lopes de Oliveira and Palacete Cova da Onça.