During a ceremony awarding swords to the new officers of the Portuguese Army at the Military Academy in Lisbon, Nuno Melo referred to the Bemposta Palace, commissioned by Queen Catherine of Braganza in the 18th century, as a “historical heritage of Portugal” that cannot be allowed “to be at risk.”
“I would like to publicly announce the start of restoration works of these spaces, funded by the PRR, also aiming at their future musealization, opening them to all Portuguese citizens,” said the Defense Minister.
The specific aim of these works is to restore the royal quarters of King João VI, who resided in the palace, as well as the adjoining royal chapel, for future musealization.
Melo emphasized that the objective is to “safeguard historical legacies, ensuring they are passed on to future generations,” noting that “everyone is aware that this heritage is not just stones,” but “tributes to some of the glorious pages written by Portuguese soldiers in the 17th to 19th centuries.”
Speaking to journalists after the speech, the minister explained that the musealization will happen “in due course,” recalling that March 10 will mark 200 years since the death of King João VI, considering it a “great opportunity for Portugal to become acquainted with this essential monument.”
In his address, the government official also highlighted that under the Recovery and Resilience Program (PRR), €31 million is being invested in creating accommodations for 600 military families in various cities, as well as modernizing the Military College and the Pupils Institute of the Army.
“We are investing in the present and future of the Portuguese nation, and perhaps because of this, to the eyes of young Portuguese, the Armed Forces are more appealing today because they are more dignified. In the Army, young people can today build a career in areas that are future-oriented, I would say even with opportunities that are not repeated in other sectors,” he said.
Melo also told the new officers, who received their swords today, that this is a “great day” where they inherit the deeds and sacrifices of generations of former students of the Military Academy who defended Portugal with “devotion and loyalty,” urging them to “lead with heart” and honor the “greatest symbol of responsibility entrusted to them.”
