Name of Monument:

Fronteira Palace and Gardens

Also known as:

Palace of the Marquis of Fronteira

Location:

Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

Date:

1665–1678

Artists:

Unknown

Denomination / Type of monument:

Secular architecture, palace and gardens

Patron(s):

First Marquis of Fronteira, João de Mascarenhas

History:

João de Mascarenhas, the first Marquis of Fronteira, commissioned the palace in around 1665–1673 following loyal services to the Kings of Portugal during the Portuguese Restoration War against Spain. In 1672 Mascarenhas' Summer Palace was inaugurated in the presence of Prince Regent Pedro (future king Pedro II). When the earthquake of 1755 destroyed the family's permanent residence in Lisbon they moved permanently to the summer palace in Benfica. In the last quarter of the 18th century, major improvements, including the restoration of the rococo and neoclassical stucco, took place to the main body of the building and a new wing was added. Some further adaptations were undertaken in the 20th century as it keeps being the family residence.

Description:

The main palace comprises a central two-floor building that is terminated on each side with small, quadrangular towers. The main façade has a Serlian porch, and a staircase leading to the forecourt. Above it is a loggia of the same design supported by Ionic columns. The lateral wings are decorated with Ionic pilasters.  The palace has the most important collection of azulejos in situ: polychrome azulejos (painted tile panels) depicting noblemen and women, mermaids and scenes of fishing in the gardens and Terrace; the sets of the Room of the Battles and of the Panel's room. The seventieth century grotto-work and the stucco from the 18th century are also remarkable.

The interior is organised around a monumental double staircase that connects the forecourt with the “noble” or ceremonial floor, which in turn allows access to the gallery and terrace. A room in the east wing has a unique decorative cycle of figurative azulejos depicting hunting scenes, and ornamental stucco work with mythological themes from the 18th century.

The palace complex includes an art gallery (also known as a terrace) a chapel, library, the Venus Garden, and the formal or grand garden.

The Palace of the Marquis of Fronteira brings together both the splendour and refinement of the nobility's social life in the late 17th century. The combination of a main building with two storeys, a wing, sculptures and tile panels – which spread throughout the gardens with lakes – is a remarkable example of early Baroque architecture.

How Monument was dated:

Historical evidence and stylistic analysis

Special features

Noble Room or Room of Battles

Interior

Tiles: 1660–1670; stucco: last quarter of the 18th century

Unknown

The Noble Room – also know as the Room of the Battles – is decorated with figurative azulejos in blue and manganese depicting the major battles of the Restoration Wars (1641, 1653, 1658, 1659, 1663, 1665, and 1667). Ornamental stucco on the ceiling and walls includes portraits of the owners and celebrate the reacquired independence.

Panels’ Room

Interior

Tiles: 1660–1670

Unknown

In the Panels’ Room are Dutch tiles depicting mythological themes, rural scenes and river landscapes. On the same floor is the Library with a barrel vault decorated with the pagan god, Mercury and neo classical stucco.

Arts’ Terrace

Exterior

1660–1670 (tiles)

Unknown

The Arts' terrace is totally covered with figurative and ornamental azulejos painted in blue and manganese on a white background. The terrace is named on account of the azulejos depicting Poetry and the Seven Liberal Arts. Marble life-size statues, placed in niches, depict pagan gods. Over the niches are medallions in the 'della Robbia' style in which are several busts of Roman Emperors. At the end of the terrace is the chapel.

Venus Garden

Exterior

Tiles: 1660–1670; Palace and Garden: 1665–1673

Unknown

Access to the Venus Garden is via a staircase decorated with azulejos. At the south side of the garden stands a pavilion (casa do fresco in Portuguese), with an extremely rare decorative scheme of figurative azulejos and ornamental grotto-work. The façade is completely covered with grotto-work, creating a porch with a central pediment on top of which there are two pinnacles either side and a cartouche with the coat of Arms of the Marquis' wife, Madalena de Castro. Facing the pavilion stands the S-shaped lake flanked by walls and covered with azulejos. The tiles depict satirical scenes in which monkeys and cats represent everyday life.

Formal or Grand Garden

Exterior

1660–1672

Unknown

The Grand Garden, is flanked to the south by a monumental lake with a wall and upper gallery. The wall is divided into several arches, three of which lead to grottos. The other arches are covered with azulejos depicting noble horsemen. On top of the wall, the king's gallery has niches and busts representing the kings of Portugal. On either side of the King's Gallery two monumental staircases lead to the main garden.

Selected bibliography:

Andrada, E. de Campos, Memórias do Marquês de Fronteira e d'Alorna D. José Trazimundo Mascarenhas Barreto Ditadas por Ele Próprio em 1861, Lisbon, 1926–1932.
Neves, J. C., Jardins e Palácio dos Marqueses de Fronteira, Lisbon, 1954.
Meco, J., Azulejaria Portuguesa, Lisbon, 1957.
Leite, A. C., “Fronteira, Palácio”, Dicionário da arte barroca em Portugal, Lisbon, 1989.
Mascarenhas, F., “Notas Para uma Análise Estético-Histórica dos Painéis da Sala Das Batalhas do Palácio Fronteira”, AAVV., Encontro Sobre História da Azulejaria em Portugal II - Da Passagem da Monocromia Seiscentista à Azulejaria Joanina. Lisbon, 1991. (texto policopiado)

Citation of this web page:

Filipe Benjamim  Santos "Fronteira Palace and Gardens" in "Discover Baroque Art", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://baroqueart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;BAR;pt;Mon11;24;en

Prepared by: Filipe Benjamim SantosFilipe Benjamim Santos

SURNAME: Santos
NAME: Filipe Benjamin

AFFILIATION: Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna

TITLE: Secretary-General

CV:
A sociologist, Filipe Benjamim Santos works for Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna, acting as Secretary-General of Palácio Fronteira since 1987. He also lectures at Escola Profissional Recuperação do Património de Sintra, a training school for people working in the fields of Historical buildings and Heritage.

Translation by: Filipe Benjamim SantosFilipe Benjamim Santos

SURNAME: Santos
NAME: Filipe Benjamin

AFFILIATION: Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna

TITLE: Secretary-General

CV:
A sociologist, Filipe Benjamim Santos works for Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna, acting as Secretary-General of Palácio Fronteira since 1987. He also lectures at Escola Profissional Recuperação do Património de Sintra, a training school for people working in the fields of Historical buildings and Heritage.
, Cristina CorreiaCristina Correia

SURNAME: Correia
NAME: Cristina

AFFILIATION: Eça de Queirós Public High School, Lisbon and MWNF

TITLE: Senior Teacher, Local Co-ordinator and Vice-President of MWNF

CV:
Cristina Correia is a History graduate and, since 1985, a Senior Teacher of History at the Eça de Queirós Public High School, Lisbon where she also lectures in Portuguese Language and Culture for non-native speakers. From 1987 to 1998 she was involved with youth affairs, primary prevention and the Camões Institute. She is Vice-President and Local Co-ordinator (Portugal) for MWNF.
Translation copyedited by: Mandi GomezMandi Gomez

Amanda Gomez is a freelance copy-editor and proofreader working in London. She studied Art History and Literature at Essex University (1986–89) and received her MA (Area Studies Africa: Art, Literature, African Thought) from SOAS in 1990. She worked as an editorial assistant for the independent publisher Bellew Publishing (1991–94) and studied at Bookhouse and the London College of Printing on day release. She was publications officer at the Museum of London until 2000 and then took a role at Art Books International, where she worked on projects for independent publishers and arts institutions that included MWNF’s English-language editions of the books series Islamic Art in the Mediterranean. She was part of the editorial team for further MWNF iterations: Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean Virtual Museum and the illustrated volume Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean.

True to its ethos of connecting people through the arts, MWNF has provided Amanda with valuable opportunities for discovery and learning, increased her editorial experience, and connected her with publishers and institutions all over the world. More recently, the projects she has worked on include MWNF’s Sharing History Virtual Museum and Exhibition series, Vitra Design Museum’s Victor Papanek and Objects of Desire, and Haus der Kulturen der Welt’s online publication 2 or 3 Tigers and its volume Race, Nation, Class.

MWNF Working Number: PT 24