Visiting Cadaval Palace is to experience up close the history of Portugal. The cradle and property of the Dukes of Cadaval family, from its founding in the 14th century to the present day, the Palace arose on the ruins of a Moorish castle in the heart of Évora, and has managed to preserve its essence through careful renovation programs.
Located opposite the Roman Temple, the Palace is a unique example of the country's architectural heritage, resulting from the fusion of Mudejar, Gothic, and Manueline styles. The building's main building includes a vast multi-story residential area, two interior gardens, and a church that also serves as a pantheon for all generations of the Dukes of Cadaval family. The church is also a national landmark for its grand interiors, dominated by tile panels signed and dated to the early 18th century.
Martim Afonso de Melo, a noble servant of the Master of Aviz and a descendant of the Portuguese royal family, commissioned the construction of the building, then known as the Palácio da Torre das Cinco Quinas (Palace of the Tower of the Five Quinas), which served as the temporary residence of the monarchs Dom João II, Dom João IV, and Dom João V. It was also in this palace that Dom Fernando II, Duke of Braganza, was imprisoned, accused of conspiracy against King Dom João II and later beheaded in Praça do Giraldo, Évora, in 1483.
Today, the palace remains the residence of the Dukes of Cadaval, although the church and parts of the rooms are open to the public year-round, displaying a collection of the family's historical and contemporary pieces—books, charters, armory, paintings, sculptures, furniture, porcelain, portraits, and travel accessories, among others—while also hosting and temporarily hosting various international cultural and artistic exhibitions.