Paço dos Henriques (Henriques’s Palace), which is now owned by the Portuguese State and has been classified as a Building of Public Interest since 1993, belonged to the last lords of the town of Alcáçovas. According to tradition and local belief, this was once a royal palace, Ordered to be built by the Portuguese king Dom Dinis.
This is a Place of Peace because it was there that took place the signature of the Alcáçovas-Toledo Treaty (also known as Alcáçovas’s Peace), that ended the Sucession War of Castile (1475-1479), where Afonso V of Portugal renounced the throne of Castile and King Fernando of Castile renounced the throne of Portugal. This Treaty also solved some issues related with the “new lands” discovered in the Atlantic Ocean, dividing them formally between Portugal and Castile.
This explains the reason why this building is so important and emblematic, not only for Alcáçovas’ history, but for Portugal and the rest of the world.