The original Palace arose in the fourteenth century, near the Tower of Evora, where the Knight Martim Afonso de Mello, the Master of Avis, server and descendant of the Portuguese Crown, built the Palace. The construction of this Palace is based, in part, on the ramparts of the ancient Roman-Visigoth Castle of Évora, incorporating traces of both in its structure, visible through the contours of the fortified military building, and the imposing tower of the main facade, a trace of the castle. Behind the Palace, you can admire the extraordinary pentagonal tower: the famous “Torre das Cinco Quinas”.
In addition to the outdoor gardens and the many rooms and halls that make up the building, the Dukes of Cadaval Palace hosts a collection of sculptures, paintings and armor, with pieces dating from the fifteenth century and the eighteenth century.
In the Palace of the Dukes of Cadaval temporarily resided several Portuguese monarchs, including Dom João II, Dom João IV and Dom João V. Also at the Palace was a prisoner Dom Fernando II, 3rd Duke of Braganza, who was accused of plotting against King John II and beheaded in the Giraldo Square, the main square of the capital of Alentejo, in 1483.
In the early 1990s, the house underwent a restoration campaign promoted by Dona Claudine, the wife of 10th Duke of Cadaval and mother of the current Duchess. Today, the Palace of the Dukes of Cadaval can be visited, as well as the church of Saint John the Evangelist. (See info page).
