Braga took degradation 250 years of history – Express

The Portuguese culture saw this Monday rejuvenate one of his earliest works of the Baroque. The Raio Palace, built in the mid eighteenth century and was in deep decay, was restored to the city of Braga by Santa Casa da Misericordia de Braga. The major symbol of the Minho city now hosts the new Interpretation Centre of the Memories of Mercy of Braga, allowing the Raio Palace again be one of the sights of the city.

“The Interpretive Center was born of necessity to restore and conserve the Raio Palace, “said a source of the Holy House of Mercy of Braga to Express . The Baroque building of Rococo variant, with blue tiles and 11 decorated windows, underwent extensive rehabilitation works, conservation and restoration by the institution between 2014 and 2015. This Monday was inaugurated in the presence of Minister of Culture, João Soares.

Through a project funded by ON.2 – North Regional Operational Programme – which came under the tender PC / 2/2013 and which aimed to support the recovery of cultural heritage, the project included requalification of Raio Palace and the installation of an Interpretation Centre.

This is a new cultural unity, in which the public will have access to a valuable collection of the Holy House of Mercy of Braga with over 500 year history, “which is in its unknown most of the general public,” said a source of the Holy House.

Among the diverse estate, present in ten thematic rooms, you can see pieces of sacred art, textiles, paintings, sculptures, jewelery, ceramics and archival documentation. However, and since the building (already) was marked by the presence of the São Marcos Hospital, there is also a specific room with hospital pharmacy objects, which is currently the pharmacy where you can see a “set of documents -bearing to the XVI century and the origins of the hospital, “said the same source.

The Raio Palace was built in the period between 1752 and 1755 under the design devised by André Soares Braga. Initially, the building served as a mortgage dealer family João Duarte de Faria, the first owner, but in 1853, Miguel José Ray purchased the mansion and eventually give his name.

At the end of the century XIX, more precisely in 1884, it was sold to the Santa Casa da Misericordia de Braga. Since the building found itself strategically well located, and could meet the needs of the hospital sector, is now integrated as the Hospital of St. Mark.

Due to the relocation of the district hospital to another region, ” the São Marcos Hospital, which was being run by the state until 1974, was returned to the Santa House in a pronounced state of disrepair. Therefore, urged an interventional measure by the Santa Casa, for the state of degradation is accentuated and still could not save the building, “the Bank informed source. Therefore, the December 28, 2012, the former São Marcos Hospital building returned to the hands of the Holy House.

“It is a building [Raio Palace] very dear to the city, not only the architecture, but also for hospital function that had from the start of the journey of life, “says a source of the Holy House of Mercy of Braga. The creation of the Interpretation Centre will become a new point of tourist and cultural attraction for different audiences and to the city of Braga.