EsquecidoS
“Art is never finished, only abandoned” - Leonardo Da Vinci
With this project, I want to document the history and current state of various abandoned historical sites in Portugal.
This are all the locations and their stories:
Mosteiro de Seiça
Monastery of Santa Maria de Seiça
It's believed this monastery was built in 1162, according to the little documentation available about it. From many legends, this site was once inhabited by religious orders, monks, and in 1911 by a Family of emigrants from Brazil, who transformed it into a factory. From 1976 to 2021, the monastery was abandoned, deteriorating to the point of almost falling apart. In 2021, the space was saved and rehabilitated and its inauguration happened in January 2024.
PROPERTY
ALL TILES
PLASTER & PAINTINGS
Casa De Pesca
Fishing house of Marquês de Pombal
Built in 1765, post-earthquake, the Fishing House is included in the core of Quinta dos Recreios dos Marqueses de Pombal. It is located in Oeiras at Quinta de Cima, formerly Quinta do Taveira. Many of the buildings that belong to Quinta dos Recreios have been restored and are in operation. The Fishing House is one of the spaces that has not been recovered or preserved. This publicly accessible space contains a main garden with a central fountain, a tank, a waterfall (Cascata do Taveira), 16 tile panels with mythological and fishing themes, an upper level with views of the entire land and the house of fishing. All this architecture is in the Baroque style. Inside the house, the walls are covered with tiles, and the ceiling with plaster figures from various 18th-century paintings.
The Municipality of Oeiras acquired the Fishing House, which is currently being repaired and restored to be soon opened to the public.
Sanatório Grandella
Ruins of the Albergaria Grandella Sanatorium
The Grandella Sanatorium, envisioned by Francisco de Almeida Grandella and the MAKAVENKOS, a secret group founded in 1880, was meant to aid the underprivileged and combat tuberculosis. Planned to be built in Loures in 1918, the project included 34 rooms, an infirmary, a medical office, cremation ovens, and 14 upper-class treatment buildings. However, construction was halted due to financial issues. In the 21st century, new owners attempted to repurpose the ruins as a nursing home and later as a hotel, but conflicts and lack of funding stalled progress once more. Listed for sale in 2018 for €800,000, it remained unsold. Public petitions to preserve the site failed, and in November 2024, the sanatorium was demolished.
OndaParque
Waterpark OndaParque
Opening its doors in 1988, OndaParque was one of the most popular water parks of its time. But after a terrible accident that led to two fatalities in 1993, the park gained a bad reputation, causing it to struggle financially and permanently cease activities in 1996. Currently, there is a plan to bring the space back to life by turning it into a wave pool for the practice of Surfing and Bodyboarding, as well as the construction of a tourist accommodation complex on its premises, the lack of investment stalling the process.
Panorâmico
Monsanto Panoramic Restaurant
The Restaurante Panorâmico de Monsanto, commissioned by Lisbon City Council (CML) in 1961 and designed by architect Chaves Costa, opened in 1970. Despite its early success, the venue faced financial struggles, closing and reopening sporadically between 1980 and 1995. Failed ventures, including a bingo hall and an unbuilt nightclub, led to its closure in 1996. After serving briefly as a warehouse, the building was reclaimed by CML in 2001. Attempts to repurpose it stalled due to funding issues but, in 2017, CML finally transformed the Panorâmico into a free observation deck and exhibition space, making it a popular tourist attraction in Lisbon today.
Palácio da Comenda
Comenda Palace
Dating back to the 18th century, Herdade da Comenda began as a Roman fish-salting facility and later served as a medieval watchtower. It was purchased by A french diplomat in 1872, who turned the property into a palace by 1908. The D’Armand family owned the property until the 1980s, with Jacqueline Kennedy among its notable guests. After several alterations by its new owner, António Xavier de Lima, the palace was abandoned following his death in 2009, deteriorating over time due to vandalism and storms. The 600 hectare estate, which includes a private beach and a five-floor palace, was sold in 2009 and efforts to classify the property for preservation began in 2017.
Palácio do Rei do Lixo
Palace of the King of Trash
Known by many names, the Palácio do Rei do Lixo was commissioned by Manuel Martins Gomes Jr. in 1910. Manuel was a wealthy merchant known as “King of Trash” since his fortune was earned by collecting and selling trash in Lisbon.
The construction of the Palace was interrupted and left incomplete by 1914. It was later used as a warehouse and stables, and eventually became an agricultural estate before being sold in 1972 to António Xavier Lima, who planned to convert it into a guesthouse. A devastating fire in 1988 left the palace in ruins, resulting in its abandonment to this day.
Convento dos Capuchos (Leiria)
Santo Antônio dos Capuchos Convent
Dating back to the 18th century, Herdade da Comenda began as a Roman fish-salting facility and later served as a medieval watchtower. It was purchased by A french diplomat in 1872, who turned the property into a palace by 1908. The D’Armand family owned the property until the 1980s, with Jacqueline Kennedy among its notable guests. After several alterations by its new owner, António Xavier de Lima, the palace was abandoned following his death in 2009, deteriorating over time due to vandalism and storms. The 600 hectare estate, which includes a private beach and a five-floor palace, was sold in 2009 and efforts to classify the property for preservation began in 2017.
Hotel do Louriçal
Louriçal Hotel
An unfinished structure started around 1998 and abandoned by 2000, Hotel Louriçal remains a mystery to this day. Rumored to have been planned as a hotel, senior residence, or shelter, the project failed due to poor licensing, missing approvals, and an illegal foundation resting on an eucalyptus tree stump. Though the exterior appears complete, the interior remains empty, and the "lighthouse" atop the building offers no sea view due to its distance from it and obstructing mountains and hills. Its fate, whether is demolition, reuse, or continued ruin, remains uncertain to this day.
Sanatórios Caramulo
Caramulo Sanatoriums
The Society of Caramulo was founded in 1920 and opened its Grand Sanatorium in 1922 under Dr. Jerónimo de Lacerda. It housed several sanatoriums, including the Children’s Sanatorium (built in 1940 and renamed in 1948) and the Belavista Sanatorium (built in 1930 for sailors). While some buildings, like the Grand Sanatorium, are still sporadically used for cultural events, others remain abandoned or privately owned to this day.
Sanatório Paredes de Coura
Paredes de Coura Sanatorium
The Sanatório Presidente Carmona, in Paredes de Coura, started construction in 1919 to treat tuberculosis among railway employees, opening in 1934 after years of financial delays. Initially built to accommodate 40 patients, it expanded to house 200 by 1962. Following the decline of tuberculosis cases, the sanatorium closed in 1974 and was later converted into a psychiatric hospital in the 1990s, which operated until its closure in 2002 due to poor conditions and insufficient funding. Abandoned and vandalized, the land was purchased in 2019 by a local investor intending to transform it into a tourist destination and cleanup efforts started in 2023.
