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Unidentified photographer
Palace of Necessidades, Lisbon
1850-1854
Salted paper print
29.5 x 41.0 cm (image)
The Royal Collection
RCIN 2700730
LL/91096
Close-up view of the façade of the Palace of Necessidades and its portico. The building sits in Largo do Rilvas, a square in Lisbon, and was originally built as a convent by King John V (1689-1750), replacing a small devotional chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Needs. During the reign of Maria II of Portugal (1819-53), the site became a royal palace and continued to be the residence of the monarchs of the Braganza dynasty, apart from Luís I of Portugal (1838-89), until the dissolution of the Portuguese monarchy in 1910. Maria II married Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, known as Fernando II of Portugal (1816-85) when he became regent for his son and successor, King Pedro V (1837-61), at the death of his wife. He was the son of Prince Ferdinand Georg August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1785-1851) and nephew of Leopold I of Belgium (1790-1865) and therefore first cousin to both Queen Victoria (1819-1901) and Prince Albert (1819-61). Similarly to his cousin Albert, he was a cultured man with a strong interest in the arts. While living in the Palace of Necessidades, he collected a large number of works of art, which would be eventually dispersed after his death. He is also responsible for the construction of the Pena Palace in Sintra.
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