Auto Palace

By famous engineer Gustave Eiffel, this rare example of cast-iron architecture within the country is a project carried out by the Portuguese Association of Automobiles, bearing the signature of constructors Veillar & Touzet. This was the first car garage built with that purpose from scratch. Able to shelter 200 automobiles, it was also the place where car bodies were built, parts were sold and driving lessons were carried out. The building displays an eclectic style that conjugates iron with a Neoclassical decorative grammar, shown in its tripartite façade, with Art Nouveau’s language in its stained glass, tile panels and the waving graphic design of the word Auto Palace. A curved pediment is flanked by two pilasters, filled by stained glass that encompasses the whole floor, with aesthetics that frame the automobile theme by means of a sleek and winding mesh of floral motifs. Inside the building, the abundance of iron is obvious, not only as part of the structure of the gallery and the support of the roof, but also as a decorative element, especially on the second floor. It was classified as Building of Public Interest in 1984.