MUSEU NACIONAL DOS COCHES
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Emblematic museum of the city offering a visit to discover a beautiful collection of horse-drawn carriages.
Created in 1905 on the initiative of Queen Amélie d'Orléans et Bragance, this museum is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting the carriages used by European royalty and nobility. Today, it comprises the main museum, an ultra-modern building with raw concrete accents showcasing the carriages, as well as the former building within the royal palace of Belém (Picadeiro Real), which can still be seen. This is one of the city's most emblematic museums (and one of the most visited!): you can almost hear the horses neighing! In fact, it's one of the world's finest collections of carriages. It's true that these highly ornate, gold-covered carriages are quite impressive... The first dates from the 16th century and the last from the mid-19th century. Don't miss the one belonging to Pope Clement XI's embassy - dos Oceanos, grafted with talha dourada, right down to the sumptuously worked wheels. A true masterpiece of Baroque ornamentation. The voluminous representation of the globe and the oceans at the rear, laden with strong symbolism, further demonstrates the leitmotif of the era Seeing and being seen. And this was indeed the part of the carriage that could be seen the most when passing through. The procession carriages were very heavy: drawn by four horses for the nobility and six for the king. At the end of the tour, you'll even notice some sedan chairs, closed for the ladies to protect their headdresses.
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Très belles pièces, chacune accompagnée de son panneau explicatif. Malgré la profusion de tissus le musée n'est pas du tout poussiéreux et vraiment lumineux.
Le personnel est francophone.
On recommande.
Il est situé dans un bâtiment un peu moche, qui ressemble à un hangar sans fenêtre, mais l'intérieur est bien agencé pour voir les carrosses historiques de la monarchie portugaise.