Bettencourt Palace

Palace Bettencourt (Palácio Bettencourt)
Palace (Palácio)
The main entrance to public library and regional archive which was installed in the Palace Bettencourt during the 20th century
Official name: Palácio Bettencourt/Biblioteca Pública e Arquivo Regional de Angra do Heroísmo
Named for: Bettencourt Family

Country	Portugal
Autonomous region	Azores
Group	Central
Island	Terceira
Municipality	Angra do Heroísmo

Coordinates	38°39′17.11″N 27°13′15.17″W / 38.6547528°N 27.2208806°W / 38.6547528; -27.2208806Coordinates: 38°39′17.11″N 27°13′15.17″W / 38.6547528°N 27.2208806°W / 38.6547528; -27.2208806

Length	40.75 m (134 ft), Southwest-Northeast
Width	38.75 m (127 ft), Northwest-Southeast

Style	Medieval

Owner	Portuguese Republic

For public	Public
Easiest access	Rua da Rosa, 49; Rua da Carreira de Cavalos

Management	Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico
Operator	Biblioteca Pública e Arquivo Regional de Angra do Heroísmo
Status	Property of Public Interest Imóvel de Interesse Público
Listing	Resolution of the President of the Regional Government, 28/1980; Jornal da Região Autonoma dos Açores, Série 1, 15 (29 April 1980); Included in the Central Zone of Angra do Heroismo (PT071901160035)

Wikimedia Commons: Palácio Bettencourt

The Palace Bettencourt (Portuguese: Palácio Bettencourt) is a former residence of the Bettencourt family, and current seat of the public library and regional archive, in the civil parish, in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

History

The front facade of the palace, with the large coat-of-arms of the Bettencourt family

It is likely that the building was constructed sometime between the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century.^[1]

Alterations to the interior and exterior occurred sometime between the 18th and 19th century, at the point when Francisco António de Araújo e Azevedo, then 7th Captain-General of the Azores was in power (the last during the absolutist regime).^[1]^[2]

Following the fire at the Episcopal Palace, on 31 July 1885, the bishop moved his residence to the Bettencourt palace.^[1]

D. Francisco José Ribeiro Vieira de Brito organized a banquet in order to hommage Augusto Castilho, commander of the corvette Duque Terceira on 21 May 1896.^[1]

Owing to an epidemic of typhus in the seminary at the Convent of São Francisco resulted in the move of the Lyceum of Angra to the palace.^[1] The bishop, who continued to live at the Palace to this period, transferred his residence to Rua D. Amélia, 74.^[1] This move lasted until 1913, when the Lyceum was returned to the Convent.^[1]

It was sometime in the 20th century, that the facade was remodelled, leading in 1956 to the installation of the public library.^[1]

The palace was classified by a resolution-in-council (126/2004) on 9 September 2004, and included within the historical classification of the historic centre of Angra.^[1] Three years later, in February, there was a presentation of a public project for a new building for the library and regional archive for Angra.^[1]

Architecture

The vestibule, decorated with azulejo panels

The library spaces, with stacks and ornate wood ceiling

The building is located in a central place, in the city of Angra do Heroísmo, on a subtle declive, with its lateral wings sitting flush with its neighbours.^[1] To the south is a small garden, with rectangular wing, while to the front is the Cathedral of the Santíssimo Salvador; and around it are various residences of notable architectural interest, including the palacete Violante Castro.^[1]

The principal doorway is framed and decorated with sculpted stone, and surmounted by a large rectangular cartouche with the coat-of-arms of the Bettencourt family.^[1]

The architecture conforms to a 17th-century noble residence, in an irregular "L"-shaped plan, integrating a rectangular tower with two-story facade, separated by frizes and with pilastered corners.^[1] There are many decorative elements constructed in basalt, such as the frames, rectangular windows and ornate door.^[1] The main facade is marked by picture windows on the first floor and several friezes and cornices over the coat-of-arms of the family.^[1] Its interior includes a central vestibule, open to the front by arched entrance over pilasters, from which was constructed a staircase.^[1]

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Noé, Paula (2012), SIPA, ed., Palácio Bettencourt / Biblioteca Pública e Arquivo Regional de Angra do Heroísmo (IPA.00008157/PT071901160025) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, archived from the original on 5 April 2014, retrieved 30 March 2014
↑ Francisco António de Araújo e Azevedo was substituted in 1820, by Francisco de Borja Garção Stockler, but remained on the island owing to his family relations. He was killed on 3 April 1821, for leading a Liberal uprising at the Fortress of São João Baptista

Sources

Angra do Heroísmo: Janela do Atlântico entre a Europa e o Novo Mundo (in Portuguese), Horta (Azores), Portugal: Direcção Regional do Turismo dos Açores
Dias, Pedro (2008), Arte de Portugal no Mundo - Açores (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: Público - Comunicação Social S.A.
Oliveira, Carlos Guedes; Lucas, Arcindo R.A.; Guedes, J.H. Correia; Andrade, Rui (1992), Metodologias para a quantificação dos dados observados no parque monumental, in 10 Anos após o sismo dos Açores de 1 de Janeiro de 1980, 2, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 743–791

Angra do Heroísmo

Civil parishes	Altares Cinco Ribeiras Doze Ribeiras Feteira Nossa Senhora da Conceição Porto Judeu Posto Santo Raminho Ribeirinha Santa Bárbara Santa Luzia São Bartolomeu de Regatos São Bento São Mateus da Calheta São Pedro Sé Serreta Terra Chã Vila de São Sebastião

Natural landmarks	Algar do Carvão Bay of Angra Bay of Pontas Bay of Salga Bay of Refugo Cabras Islets Furna de Água Galerias da Feteira Gruta Brisa Azul Gruta das Agulhas Gruta das Cinco Ribeiras Gruta das Mercês Gruta do Zé Grande Gruta dos Ratões Lagoa do Negro Mata da Serreta Monte Brasil Parque de Campismo das Cinco Ribeiras Ponta do Queimado Porto das Cinco Ribeiras Prainha Serra da Ribeirinha Serra de Santa Bárbara Serra do Morião ou da Nasce Água Zona Balnear do Negrito

Man-made landmarks	Bettencourt Palace Cais da Alfândega Cais da Silveira Castle of Moinhos Cemetery of Anchors Church of São Mateus da Calheta Convent of São Gonçalo Duke of Terceira Garden Fort of the Açougue Fort of the Cavalas Fort of the Church of São Mateus da Calheta Fort of Greta Fort of Má Ferramenta Fort of the Maré Fort of Negrito Fort of Santo António do Monte Brasil Fort of São João Fort of São João Baptista Forte das Caninas Forte das Cinco Ribeiras Forte da Salga Forte de Santa Catarina das Mós Forte de Santo António Forte de São Fernando Forte de São Francisco Forte de São Sebastião Forte do Terreiro Forte do Zimbreiro Fortress of São Mateus da Calheta Reducto da Salga Miradouro da Amoreira Miradouro da Ponta do Queimado Miradouro da Serreta Miradouro das Veredas Miradouro do Pico das Cruzinhas Miradouro do Pico Matias Simão Municipal Palace/Hall of Angra do Heroísmo Parque Arqueológico Subaquático da Baía de Angra do Heroísmo Parque de Campismo das Cinco Ribeiras Parque Municipal do Relvão (Angra do Heroísmo) Porto das Cinco Ribeiras Redoubt of Dois Paus Redoubt of Três Paus Manor of Madre de Deus Sé Cathedral of Angra do Heroísmo

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