Museums and Palaces

Entering the city from the north, you cannot help but notice a striking Baroque building. This was the secondary residence of the Bishops of Guarda and home to the Bishop of Castelo Branco between 1771 and 1831. On the Renaissance entranceway pediment, there is an inscription describing how the Palace was built on the orders of Nuno de Noronha, bishop of Guarda, between 1596 and 1598.

The palace was converted into the Francisco Tavares Proença Júnior Museum in 1971. It was named after its founder, a man of many scientific and artistic interests and a reputable archaeologist who first put his collections on public display in 1910.

There are around 5,000 exhibits featuring important sets of Roman inscriptions, Bronze Age megaliths, Iron Age gold jewellery in addition to Neolithic and Palaeolithic articles.

Also included in the collection are pieces donated from the Palace: painting, carpets, sculptures and other pieces from the 16th to 19th centuries. The examples of embroidery are highlights of the section on Religious Vestment, Costume and Castelo Branco Embroidery.

The atelier/school of regional embroidery is a must on any visit. It forms part of the Traditional Textile Methods section that demonstrates processes involved in weaving linen.