This was the Royal Riding Hall of Belém that was converted to a museum in 1905 to display the royal carriages. Most of the carriages were moved the new museum just across the street but Picadeiro Real was really nice.
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Royal Riding Hall | Picadeiro Real
In 1791 Francisco José da Costa provided the panels of azulejos (painted, glazed tiles) that decorated the tribunes. In 1793 the interior balustrade that surrounds the hall, work of the engraver Gonçalo José, was put in.
Several Portuguese artists decorated the interior of the building with paintings and tile (azulejo) panels. Between 1792 and 1799, the painters Francisco de Setúbal, Francisco José de Oliveira, Joaquim José Lopes (known as “the Bugre”), and the Frenchman Nicolau Delerive, among others, worked on the interior decoration.
Elements linked to the equestrian arts are dominant among the decorative motifs used in all the ceiling and panel decoration on the upper part of the Hall. The allegorical scenes painted on canvas in the three large oval medallions on the ceiling of the riding arena are noteworthy.
The inner arena is 50 m long and 17 m wide, and was used for training horses and for horse riding exhibitions and games, which could be watched from its balconies by the Portuguese royal family. There were still eight royal carriages on display, overlooked by the portraits of the kings and queens of the Bragança dynasty.
Prince Francisco Coach
Author unknown | 18th century, France
This ceremonial vehicle belonged to Prince Francisco, Duke of Beja (brother of King João V), son from the second marriage of King Pedro II to Maria Sofia of Neuburg. On the doors and the lower panels are the Portuguese coat of arms with a ducal crown and a distinctive marking for the Casa do Infantado.
Berlin of the Royal House
Author unknown | 18th century, Portugal
The body displays the Portuguese Coat of Arms and it is decorated with landscapes and architectural motifs. The curtains are crimson velvet. The knobs, apparel and buckles are engraved bronze. The stirrups are tacked leather. In the interior, the crimson velvet hood in embellished in a gilt silver trim.
Queen Carlota Joaquina Coach
Author unknown | 18th century, Spain | Physical Dimensions: 270 cm x 221 cm x 695 cm Wheels: 85/171 cm (diameter); 6/6.3 cm (thickness) | Wood, bronze, glass, leather, silk velvet, silk taffeta
This carriage is part of a group of three vehicles brought to Portugal in 1785 by Queen Carlota Joaquina of Bourbon, daughter of Charles IV of Spain at the time of her marriage with Prince João, later King João VI. Decorated in black leather with tack work.
Although it was built during the baroque period, it retains the body of the Spanish coaches of the 17th century. The body is closed with glass windows. On the small doors a double shield with the coat of arms of Portugal and Spain. The interior is upholstered in red silk velvet.
Maria Francisca Benedita Coach
Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho (painting) | Late 18th century, Portugal
It was constructed in 1777 for the marriage of Maria Francisca, sister of Queen Maria I, to her nephew Prince José.
The panels are decorated with paintings by Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho.
Count of Ericeira Coach
Author unknown | 18th century, Portugal
Built for the wedding of Francisco Xavier Rafael de Menezes, 6th Count of Ericeira to Maria José da Graça Noronha, daughter and heir of the Marquises of Cascais.
On the body the two noble houses coats of arms.
Patriarch’s Berlin
Author unknown | 18th century, Portugal
Used by the Cardinals of Lisbon, it displays the prelate’s coat of arms.
The footrest (board where the coachman places his feet) is decorated with a heart that symbolises Charity. It comes from the Palace of São Vicente de Fora.
Berlin of the Lions
Author unknown | 18th century, France
Ordered for the Royal House, it displays oval-shaped Portuguese coat of arms enclosed by golden-coloured borders which have small medallions with lion designs.
Berlin of Queen Maria
Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho (painting), Silvestre Faria Lobo (carvings) | 18th century, Portugal
It was used in 1790 by Queen Maria I during the ceremony of consecration of the Basilica da Estrela in Lisbon.
On the body the paintings are attributed to Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho and the woodcarvings to Silvestre Faria Lobo.
About National Coach Museum
The National Coach Museum houses one of the most important collections of horse drawn carriages in the world, making this a highly recommended place to visit.
On May 23, 1905, by the initiative of Queen Amelia of Orleães and Bragança, wife of King Carlos I, the Royal Coach Museum was inaugurated in the Old Riding Arena.
When the Republic was established in 1910, the Museum was renamed National Coach Museum (Museu Nacional dos Coches).
This museum houses an important horse-drawn carriage collection of vehicles are from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century.
The museum was formerly housed in the Royal Riding Hall of Belém, the former home of the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art, known as the Picadeiro Real. The Picadeiro Real is part of the larger Belém Palace complex, formerly a Royal Palace, which is now the official residence of the President of Portugal.
In the Royal Riding Arena it is still possible to see some vehicles, oil paintings of the monarchs of the Bragança dynasty and a set of saddles and harnesses related to the Equestrian Art.
The new museum building was inaugurated on May 23, 2015. The horse-drawn vehicles belonging to royal palaces of the Crown, the Church and various noble houses are exhibited in chronological order revealing the different models used, their characteristics and evolution from the 16th century until the end of the 19th century.
Opening Hours:
Tuesday through Sunday: 10am to 6pm. Mondays: closed.
Closed: January 1st, May 1st, Easter Sunday, June 13th, 24th and 25th December.
Visited Aug 2023
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