Higher Institute of Agronomy (ISA) Exhibition Pavilion

This iron and glass building, which was opened by King Luís I in 1884, is regarded as the symbol of the Tapada da Ajuda hunting reserve. Built for the 3rd Lisbon Agricultural Exhibition, it was seen as an ambitious response to other iron structures both in Portugal, namely the Crystal Palace in Porto (1865), and abroad, such as the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London (1851) and the Trocadéro in Paris (1878). Symmetrically flanking the pavilion one also finds two typical chalets of the period. On the eastern side, a livestock barn with a clock in the tympanum and a bell tower. On the western side, the stable building, likewise having a bell tower with a barometer, where the horses were kept. The pavilion became known for being the venue of national flower exhibitions. In 1889 the chalet that served as the keeper’s residence was built. It later became the residence of the Director of the ISA.