Manor House in Anadia with virtual tour

PAÇO DE OIS, ROYAL HOUSE – SOLAR DOS CALHEIROS – CASA DE MONTALVÃO

The Paço de Óis dominates a vast valley covered with extensive vineyards in the ancient village of Óis do Bairro.

As we know it today, with its U-shaped layout, the estate is composed of three wings, each with two storeys, enclosed by an honour gate bearing the coat of arms of the Castelo Branco family.

Set within approximately 12 hectares of land, the Paço de Óis comprises:

East Wing:
First Floor

• 4 bedrooms, 2 of which are en suite;
• Library;
• 1 bathroom;

Ground Floor

• Storage rooms;

Central Wing:
First Floor

• 3 living rooms;
• Ballroom/Dining Room;
• Pantry;
• Modern and fully equipped kitchen;
• Balcony with views of the Caramulo and Buçaco mountain ranges;

Ground Floor

• Old kitchen;
• 6 bedrooms;
• Wine cellar;

West Wing:
First Floor

• 3 bedrooms;
• 1 bathroom;
• Neo-Gothic chapel built in 1890;

Ground Floor

• Garages.

Historical Note

The presence of the Castelo Branco family in Óis is quite ancient, succeeding the ownership of the local estate from the Bishopric of Coimbra, which transferred it under hereditary leasehold (“prazo familiar hereditário”) (Lopes, 1985).

The rampant lion of their coat of arms is clearly visible on the 18th-century entrance gate, finely crafted by a skilled master, defined by pilasters topped with urns, ending in a reverse-curved arch.

D. Afonso de Castelo Branco (1522–1615), bishop-count, was the natural son of D. António de Castelo Branco, Dean of the Royal Chapel.

He was the 41st Bishop of Coimbra and 6th Count of Arganil, by perpetual hereditary right, and during the reign of Philip II, served as Viceroy of Portugal from August 22, 1603, to December 26, 1604.

A major landowner in the Anadia region, he commissioned the construction of the Paço de Óis do Bairro in the late 16th century. The estate was later inherited by the Castelo Branco family, who also had a chapel in the parish church of Santo André de Óis do Bairro. He died in Coimbra on May 12, 1615, and his tombstone can be found in the Old Cathedral (Sé Velha) of that city.

In the late 16th century, Afonso Castelo Branco began construction of the right (eastern) wing, the oldest part of the manor. He likely also commissioned the original porch of the Paço de Óis.

By the mid-17th century, his heir António de Miranda Castelo Branco, nobleman of the Royal Household, and Governor of the City of Aveiro and Barrô, initiated the construction of the central wing with two storeys and the sloping perimeter wall.

The chapel, built in 1890, reflects the Romantic taste of its Neo-Gothic design, a late 19th-century construction whose facade features a portal surmounted by a round oculus, ending in a sharply pitched gable crowned by a cross.

Its harmonious and immersive interior is highlighted by a finely carved main altar and a decorative pulpit.

On a painting in the choir loft, one can see the heraldic symbols of the heirs of the Castelo Branco lineage — the quartered coat of arms of the Noronhas, Pitas, Bandeiras, and Calheiros families.

In 1926, a violent and devastating fire caused extensive damage, particularly to the central section.

Later restored, and following a 17th-century design, the current central body is preceded by a U-shaped porch supported by columns with a wide balcony, flanked by square turrets covered with four-sided pyramidal roofs, which frame the entrances.

The original double staircase leading to the noble floor was preserved.

The eastern wing—built in the 16th century—and the chapel were unaffected by the fire, maintaining their original character and integrity.