The Palácio dos Condes de Castro Guimarães, originally known as the Torre de São Sebastião (St Sebastian's Tower), was built in 1900 as an aristocrat’s summer residence in Cascais, Lisbon District, Portugal. It became a museum in 1931. The building follows an eclectic architectural style, while the museum includes paintings of national and international significance, furniture, porcelain, jewellery and a neo-Gothic organ. History Jorge O'Neil built the Torre de São Sebastião in 1900, to the designs of Francisco Vilaça. O'Neill was a Portuguese aristocrat of distant Irish descent who had multiple business interests including Portugal's match monopoly. The nearby Casa de Santa Maria was also constructed at his behest. The building employs several architectural styles, adopting a Revivalist approach that includes Neo-romanticism, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Manueline and Neo-Moorish. The overall impression is of a medieval castle. References to O'Neill's Irish heritage can also be found scattered throughout the building, particularly in the so-called Shamrock Room. The building's most striking feature is the tower, the base of which juts out into a small cove. The house has an irregular rectangular plan, in two, three and four floors, with several main and triple windows. There are several gargoyles, protruding eaves and porches. The interior is built around a quadrangular cloister. The main rooms are intercommunicating and have beamed ceilings with floors in ceramic tiles with Polychromatic patterns, as well as some tiled walls. Almost all rooms also have tiled stoves, some of which were brought from other buildings. In 1910 the house was sold to the 1st Count of Castro Guimarães who, with his wife, lived there until 1927. Many of the pieces now in the museum were acquired during that period. Notable were the purchases of a neo-Gothic organ, built for the Count, and rare 16th Century manuscripts including the valuable "Chronicle of Don Afonso Henriques", the first king of Portugal, written by Duarte Galvão (1446-1517). The Count died in 1927, donating the house and its garden to the state, with the request that the house be used as a museum and art gallery. The Condes de Castro Guimarães Library Museum was inaugurated on July 12, 1931, and for many years was the only museum in Cascais. Directors have included João Couto, Carlos Bonvalot, Branquinho da Fonseca and Maria Alice Beaumont. In 1932, the famous Portuguese writer, Fernando Pessoa, applied for the position of curator, but was turned down for lack of qualifications.

O Palácio dos Condes de Castro Guimarães, também referido como Torre de São Sebastião, localiza-se à Avenida Rei Humberto de Itália, na freguesia e concelho de Cascais, distrito de Lisboa, em Portugal. História Foi mandado construir no século XIX por Jorge O'Neill, sobrinho do 1.º Visconde de Santa Mónica e descendente dos Condes de Clanaboy e Príncipes de Tyrone, Reis do Ulster e, por vezes, Grandes Reis da Irlanda, para sua casa de veraneio. Em 1910 foi vendida ao 1.º Conde de Castro Guimarães. O projecto arquitectónico do palácio foi elaborado por Francisco Vilaça e os arquitectos responsáveis pela edificação foram Albrecht Haupt e Luigi Manini. O edifício encontra-se classificado como Imóvel de Interesse Público através do Decreto N.º 45 de 30 de Novembro de 1993. Em nossos dias conserva o seu traçado original, abrigando o Museu Conde de Castro Guimarães, que reúne todas as peças da vasta colecção de arte dos condes. Características Trata-se de um palácio em estilo revivalista, instalado numa pequena enseada. Aquando das marés altas, a base do edifício é tocada pelas ondas. O seu estilo conjuga o Romantismo - em voga à época - com uma aparência de château medieval, que culmina com a grande torre. Encontra-se rodeado de um interessante jardim. O edifício tem elementos de origem irlandesa, como os trevos presentes na porta de ferro forjado e na pintura do teto da Sala dos Trevos, a sala de entrada do museu, e o brasão de armas de Jorge O'Neill e dos seus antepassados, pintados no teto do torreão.

Free 4.00 EUR 0 - 18 years: free Seniors, students: 50% discount Family: 1 free ticket 7+ pers: 25% discount - WC/WC for the disabled - Virtual tour - Palace Garden mccg@cm-cascais.pt - The Palace is used as a museum - Accessible for wheelchairs - Gift shop - Guided tours by request - Closed on Mondays

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