Alcântara Library — Conde de Burnay Palace

Count of Burnay’s small palace, built at the end of the 19th century, was part of the vast legacy of the Burnay family. Eventually, it opened its doors to the community, and in the 1930s it housed Escola Comercial Ferreira Borges. In 1961, the school witnessed one of the most remarkable events in the contemporary Alcântara neighbourhood: in what was then Rua da Creche, the visual artist and anti-fascist militant José Dias Coelho, was murdered by PIDE, the political police. Dias Coelho was honoured in the song “A morte saiu à rua” by musician Zeca Afonso, and in the street toponym. More recently, there were requalification works, and the building opened to the public to be Alcântara’s new library. The intervention sought to maintain the original design, provide more light inside, recover the frescoes, and introduce a contemporary feel. As for the garden, you can find a sculpture there by Portuguese artist José Pedro Croft. The space aims to work also as a communal cultural centre.