One of our excursions by bus took us to the Mateus Palace. It is located in the village of Mateus, around 5 kilometres from Vila Real.
The façade of the palace impresses with its double staircase with balustrade leading to the main portal. Above it is the family coat of arms.
After his marriage in 1541, the landowner had a manor house built here, which was extended and altered several times by subsequent generations. The current baroque palace was built around 1743 by Nicolau Nasoni and owned by the nobleman António José Botelho Mourão. The palace is also known for its large park in which there is a pond with a nymph, a marble sculpture by José Cutileiro (see picture above). In the Mateus Palace you can visit a library and living quarters. The interior of the palace includes oil paintings and cabinets with oriental crockery. Near the palace is a baroque chapel from the 18th century.
The Mateus Palace is depicted on the labels of the Mateus Rosé, to which it merely gave its name.
The park
The palace is surrounded by a beautiful garden with boxwood hedges, well-tended statues and a harmonious cypress avenue.
