Casa da Praça
THE ABANDONED HOUSE IN PORTUGAL
Casa da Praça is the oldest house in Frazão, a small village in the Municipality of Paços de Ferreira. The manor house was built in the 17th century. It is considered one of the most beautiful houses in the region.
The Casa da Praça stands as a unique specimen of Baroque architecture. For many generations, it was the property of the distinguished Álvares family, whose name, through marriage, evolved into Alves Barbosa, the family that owned it until a few years back.
The cornerstone bears the date of March 5, 1799, yet it is believed that the house predates this. The chapel, dedicated to São Paulo, originates from the 18th century. Evidence of this includes the ornaments, which exhibit late Baroque characteristics with the emergence of neoclassical elements.
The earliest registered owner was Manuel Álvares, who was a banker, judge, and owner of a tobacco business. His son marries Catarina Barbosa. Today, the Barbosa family still owns the house.
Today, nature has completely reclaimed the cloistered courtyard. Conversely, the house’s interior no longer retains its original state. It was altered by an incomplete project intended to convert the building into a modern hotel. For instance, the roof and several walls have been reconstructed with red bricks, starkly contrasting with the original granite walls. The crisis halted construction, leaving the hotel in an unfinished state. I visited this house in 2016 and 2018. Click here for more abandoned locations in Portugal.
