Quinta da Marquesa, riches, hidden treasure, history abandoned

[Pedro]

Had a nice ride today, but didn't stop for pictures at all. The roads were the same old ones and the ones I hadn't posted before weren't very interesting. Anyway, getting home I stopped by an abandoned place with a scenic view to take pictures for you guys. Being an abandoned building I could ride into I figured it would appeal to the resident guy in search of old stuff.

It's right on the edge of town where my place is, a few meters away from the road on a lovely dirt road that then leads into a forest.

This is "Quinta da Marquesa", meaning the "Marchioness' Farm". It was built in the late 1500s or early 1600s and passed on by really very wealthy families, the Portugal's elite used to visit for hunting. As a lot of old and historic buildings and industry in Portugal, it ended up being wasted after the revolution on 25th April 1974, communists took over and tried to subvert it's workers to only ended up with translates in the testimonies as a "strong ass whooping" 

Legend says there are hidden passages and treasure hidden around the place...

This picture is worthless, but over the door to the chapel there is a statement you can't read here, it translates from old Portuguese to something like: "D. Isabel de Castro, daughter of Fernão Teles, entails this estate of the Mascarenhas in the year of 1618 with the obligation of paying 30000 kings: 25000kings to a daily mass in Alcácer do Sal, 3000 for factory, and 2000kings for the goodwill of Alcácer, to be administered by the chapel: 18th June, 1621" Don't really know how to explain most of it but Castro, Teles, Mascarenhas, these are names of some of the richest and most powerful families of the old times, and the names of later owners continue to be impressive. 

Into the remains of the chapel:

 

And outside

 

Graffiti and a sad looking sofa in the only "Deliverance" room, for @XTreme´s delection

 

This is all quite sad, a country should take care of it's historic buildings a lot better than this, real history went down here for centuries, now left to crumble apart. The "Mascarenhas", I think the first family that owned it, for example, used to rule Portuguese India.

I took these pictures at around 8PM, and the light was getting pretty, so the GS posed a little on the surrounding trails before going home. First with the farm land in the background:

And then just looking for a pretty picture:

Heading home, I stopped by a place with a vantage point over the farm so you can see where it stands amongst the surrounding area. You can spot it in the left third of the picture, above the green dumpster for reference:

 

 

[Earache]

Great shots. Pedro. I'm really diggin' the red chair, too.

[Grasshopper]

Some beautiful shots Pedro.   I love the light at that time of day!

Your bike is looking good, some BOTM pics there for sure!

[XTreme]

Fantastic shots Pedro.......and that building is still in very good condition considering it's age.

The design and layout of the "chair" room is unusual though.......was it used for horses or something?

[Pedro]

26 minutes ago, XTreme said:

Fantastic shots Pedro.......and that building is still in very good condition considering it's age.

The design and layout of the "chair" room is unusual though.......was it used for horses or something?

I don’t think so, the door was human sized and facing the entrance of the building, I suppose a barn would face the inside and be amongst the ones more in ruins. It could be a bigger church, though, I have no idea.

[Pedro]

This farm was operative in 1974, so all the damage happened since …

[XTreme]

1 hour ago, Pedro said:

This farm was operative in 1974, so all the damage happened since …

But considering the age of it the structure seems to be pretty solid!

[boboneleg]

11 hours ago, Pedro said:

As a lot of old and historic buildings and industry in Portugal, it ended up being wasted after the revolution on 25th April 1974, communists took over and tried to subvert it's workers to only ended up with translates in the testimonies as a "strong ass whooping" 

See @XTreme  , I told you there was danger going in those old places.  You better keep your eyes open for communists as well as 3 foot dagos 

[boboneleg]

Nice one Pedro, like you say it's a real shame that those historical places are not tended to by some sort of organisation.

[Pedro]

2 hours ago, boboneleg said:

Nice one Pedro, like you say it's a real shame that those historical places are not tended to by some sort of organisation.

They were taken away from their owners during the revolution in an excuse by profiteers to give the people management of what was in the hands of “fascists”, all those people fled and the now "managers" ran everything into the grounds, farms, factories, rich houses, etc

Then a few years later when they came back all the stuff wasn’t theirs anymore, and what was reclaimed is often stuck in a legal battle over heirs claiming against each other. The legal system being a joke, things get passed on from generation to generation in said legal system …

It would be easier if it was to go for an organisation like you say, but I don’t see that working properly here. Maybe even better if sold for charity and used for businesses like small hotels, restaurants, etc, it would make a kickass brothel too!

[Tango]

I love the little that I've seen of Portugal.  The people I met there were all really friendly too. Maybe I'll get to go and explore there some more in the future, but, in the meantime, keep posting your photos of the country please.

[XTreme]

18 minutes ago, Tango said:

I love the little that I've seen of Portugal.  The people I met there were all really friendly too.

Except @Pedro.......he's an uncouth savage!

He even traumatised my Rottweilers back in 2006! 

[Pedro]

19 minutes ago, Tango said:

I love the little that I've seen of Portugal.  The people I met there were all really friendly too. Maybe I'll get to go and explore there some more in the future, but, in the meantime, keep posting your photos of the country please.

Thanks! I've done a couple of reports last year in which you really see the differences between north and south, and the countryside.

[Tango]

13 minutes ago, Pedro said:

Thanks! I've done a couple of reports last year in which you really see the differences between north and south, and the countryside.

I'll go back through and have a read of them.

Yes, the little I've seen of Portugal, Porto was different to Lisbon which is different to the Algarve. But that's what makes it so interesting. I don't have a favourite,  because they were all interesting and enjoyable in their own way.

[Motobiker]

A compass should tell you if it was a chapel. it will almost certainly be on an east-west alignment. Though I would expect it to be a little grander with windows down the sides, or at least on one side.

 

[Pedro]

2 hours ago, Motobiker said:

A compass should tell you if it was a chapel. it will almost certainly be on an east-west alignment. Though I would expect it to be a little grander with windows down the sides, or at least on one side.

 

That's interesting, but there is one definitive chapel that is the blue roof room. The blue one is quite small, this bigger one is on a 90º to the other one but built maybe after, maybe as an addition to the original building. But then again it could be a canteen of sorts as this was quite the farm with probably a lot of workers. On thing the original text made sure was that it was to belong to a powerful family, but mandated to keep a church mass going daily, with some other obligations towards the church and the community, so providing proper meals and that kind of ambience could be the way of life there.\

Then the rich royals would probably gather after the hunts for a nice old fashioned Indian or Brazilian spice fueled orgy on the first floor 

[Sofia]

Gorgeous and sad... decaying history is a common find in Portugal. 

Philosophically Portuguese are outward and forward looking, not really interested in the past or learning about history, in a remarkable paradox seeing that Portugal has magnificent history! A People more curious about foreign lands then their own. There is a beauty to this, a freedom that comes from not being weighted down by the responsibility of looking after something, just accepting its death and decay and moving on to discover new things.  

If I had the money, I would love to buy it and restore it! 

[XTreme]

14 minutes ago, Sofia said:

Gorgeous and sad... decaying history is a common find in Portugal. 

Philosophically Portuguese are outward and forward looking, not really interested in the past or learning about history, in a remarkable paradox seeing that Portugal has magnificent history! A People more curious about foreign lands then their own. There is a beauty to this, a freedom that comes from not being weighted down by the responsibility of looking after something, just accepting its death and decay and moving on to discover new things.  

If I had the money, I would love to buy it and restore it! 

Good to see you Sofia.....hope you're keeping well?

[Sofia]

39 minutes ago, XTreme said:

Good to see you Sofia.....hope you're keeping well?

Always Pete, thanks for asking! I am trying to live by the motto, always well and if it is not, make it so!!