I really enjoyed this museum a lot.
The history of Lisbon's National Coach Museum goes back to the year 1900, when a collection of Portuguese royal coaches was put on display at the Universal Exhibition in Paris.
Queen consort Amelia of Portugal, who had been the driving force behind the exhibition of the coaches, decided to create a permanent museum. She moved coaches, carriages and related items from the monarch's many royal palaces to a former horse riding school at the royal palace of Belém. They illustrate the ostentation and staggering wealth of the old Portuguese elite.
When the museum opened in 1905 as the Royal Coach Museum, it had a collection of twenty-nine coaches and carriages. The collection expanded over time and it is now one of the largest in the world. In 1910, when Portugal was declared a republic, the name of the museum was changed to National Coach Museum.
She was married to King Don Carlos I
Hmmm! Interesting hole in the seat of this ancient traveling coach
Each coach is more magnificent than the other, showing how coach-makers went to extraordinary lengths to make their vehicles stand out.
One of the most outstanding has gilded figures on the tailgate showing Lisbon crowned by Fame and Abundance and a dragon trampling the Muslim crescent.
Top two figures represent summer and spring - center figure is Apollo below him the globe and the bottom two figures represent the Atlantic Ocean meeting the Indian Ocean
Yet another splendid example was built in 1716 for Portugal's ambassador to Pope Clement XI, decorated with allegorical scenes representing Portuguese military and maritime triumphs.
More wonderful examples belonged to several European royal families, from Spain to England,
including a 19th century coach built in London last used by Queen Elizabeth II on a state visit.
"King Carlos of Portugal and his son the Duke of Braganza had an appointment with Death on Saturday, February 1, 1908.
King Carlos and Queen Amelia along with their sons Luis Filipe and Manuel returned to Lisbon on that fateful Saturday afternoon from a short visit to Vila Vicosa, the seat of their ancient House of Braganza. The royal family disembarked at about five in the afternoon from the ferry-boat Dom Luiz, which had carried them from Berreiro to the Terreiro do Paco, They were greeted by Cabinet Members and dignitaries, then got into an open carriage and headed for the Necessidades Palace.
As the royal carriage approached the corner of the Praca do Commercio up the street from the Arsenal, a young assassin, a Lisbon cashier named Alfredo Costa, stepped from the crowd, jumped up behind the carriage and fired a pistol at King Carlos. Queen Amelia tried to beat down the assassin's arm with a bouquet of flowers that her little god-child had given her on the quay shortly before, but to no avail: one of the assassin's bullets passed through her husband's throat, severing the carotid artery - King Carlos, vigorous and in his prime, was killed instantly.
Amelia placed herself in front of her youngest son, Manuel, looked squarely into the revolver aimed at him, but the shot was not fired. A struggle took place. According to the conflicting reports, a policeman either shot the assassin dead or ran him through with a sword. At that point the Queen's lady-in-waiting, Countess Figueiro, tried to take her proper post in the carriage, but Amelia cried out, "Get away! Get away! I don't want you to be killed too!"
The coachman whipped the horses - the carriage lurched towards the corner of the arcade. Shots rang out from the crowd. Amelia turned and found her first-born son Luis Felipe mortally wounded, struck in the face and chest. The fatal deed was reportedly done with a carbine wielded by a black-bearded assassin, an ex-calvary sergeant and dismissed village schoolmaster named Manuel Buica - he had been lurking behind the pillar of the Ministry of the Interior. Because four chambers in the Crown Prince's revolver were found empty, a report credited him with firing at the assassins four times, perhaps wounding or killing one of them - another accounts stated that he did not get a single shot off. The bearded assassin took aim again and fired, slightly wounding Manuel in the arm. At this juncture the King's brother, the Duke of Oporto, and aides de camp rode up with sabres drawn. Everyone believed to be an assassin was reportedly hacked to pieces - an innocent bystander was allegedly killed in the process.
The carriage hurried to the medical department of the marine Arsenal where King Carlos was declared dead on arrival. Crown Prince Luis Felipe expired minutes later. (Note bullet holes in carriage door)
Hence on that terrible day eighteen-year-old Duke of Braganca became King Manuel II. The next day Manuel promised to uphold the Constitution, and he soon proceeded to dismantle the repressive machinery of his father's regime. The regicides, allegedly members of Carbonari cells, were tried in secret and executed - numerous aggrieved republicans staged a demonstration on the graves. The number of assassins involved was unclear. Some time later a third man, Jose de Alpoim, tried to take credit for the killings, but he, a known braggart, was given little credence".
On the upper floor are all the finery worn by the horses and riders, as well as a massive portrait gallery of Royal personages
Ok I figure i have dulled the senses with so many carriages. So I shall end it with the one portrait I took a picture of
Princess Maria Amelia - 1831-1853
Oil on canvas no date, no signature
Daughter of Pedro IV and his second wife Amelia de Leuchtenberg. She was Princess of Brasil
I was struck at how young she was, just 21 at her death. At first I thought she looked a lot like the Queen consort Amelia who was responsible for establishing this museum, but the dates of birth and death do not march, so I looked her up and
This is her sad story
"Dona Maria Amelia was a princess of the Empire of Brazil and a membr of the Brazilia branch of the House of Braganza. Her parents were Emperor Dom Pedro I, the first ruler of Brazil, and Amelie of Leuchtenberg. The only child of her father's second marriage, Maria Amelia was born in France after Pedro I abdicated the Brazilian throne in favor of his son Dom Pedro II. Before Maria Amelia was a month old, Pedro I went to Portugal to restore the crown of the eldest daughter of his first marriage, Dona Maria II. He fought a successful war against his brother Miguel I, who had usurped Maria II's throne.
Only a few months after his victory, Pedro I died from tuberculosis. Maria Amélia's mother took her to Portugal, where she remained for most of her life without ever visiting Brazil. The Brazilian government refused to recognize Maria Amélia as a member of Brazil's Imperial House because she was foreign-born, but when her elder half-brother Pedro II was declared of age in 1840, he successfully intervened on her behalf.
Maria Amélia became engaged to Archduke Maximilian of Austria in early 1852, but before the marriage could take place she contracted tuberculosis, and was taken to the town of Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira. Despite its reputedly healthy climate, her health continued to deteriorate, and she died on 4 February 1853. Her body was taken to mainland Portugal and interred in the Braganza Pantheon; almost 130 years later, her remains were taken to Brazil. In honor of her daughter, Maria Amélia's mother financed the construction of the "Princesa D. Maria Amélia" hospital in Funchal. Maria Amélia's fiancé, Maximilian, made a pilgrimage to Brazil and Madeira, a journey that influenced his acceptance of the throne of Mexico in 1864".
As I was researching this, I discovered that there is a current Princess Dona Amelia of Brazil. She comes from the same Royal line of Braganza.
As to her resemblance to the Queen consort Amelia of Portugal, it may be coincidence or just my imagination.
This museum is well worth seeing if you are ever in Lisbon. Without the forethought of Queen Amelia, it is doubtful that many of these magnificent historical vehicles would have been saved.
After the museum we hoped on the bus back to city center and walked up the pedestrian street. It is Saturday and there was much going on. A musical troupe and dancing
complete with pigeon sitting on the head
We window shopped a bit and then headed home to eat in. Another good day in Belem and Lisbon
What beautiful carriages, I just love your blog. It looks like you and Terri are having a great time.
ReplyDeleteWe are having a great time. Tiring but worth it. Portugal has been a whirlwind. Just three weeks here makes it hard to see all we want to see. I would come back here. Love it.
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