São Bento Palace

The São Bento Palace stands in Lisbon’s Estrela district as the seat of Portugal’s Assembly of the Republic. It began in 1598 as a Benedictine monastery before becoming the national parliament in 1834. The Prime Minister’s official residence, São Bento Mansion, lies within the same grounds. The building has survived the 1755 earthquake, a major fire in 1895, and several political transformations. Its neoclassical façade and grand stairway date from the early 20th century. The palace’s former chapter house was remodelled in 1867 into the main session chamber still in use today. After the 1974 revolution it housed the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1976 constitution. Architect Miguel Ventura Terra enlarged the building in the 1900s, adding a new lower-house chamber and reshaping the interior. The gardens at the rear were designed by Cristino da Silva in the 1940s. A modern annex by Fernando Távora in the 1990s expanded workspace without altering the historic look. Visitors find a monumental staircase leading to the neoclassical portico. Inside, the grand atrium and sweeping stairway show Ventura Terra’s work. The session chamber retains its 19th-century layout. Behind the palace, the Prime Minister’s residence sits in a landscaped garden. Demonstrations often gather on the wide forecourt. The palace is recognised as a National Monument.