Jardim do Paço Episcopal

In the heart of Castelo Branco, the Jardim do Paço Episcopal is a baroque garden of monumental staircases, clipped hedges, statues and fountains. Created around the old bishop’s palace, it is one of the most theatrical gardens in Portugal, where the granite of the Beira meets the geometry of the eighteenth century.

History and character

The garden was laid out in the eighteenth century beside the Paço Episcopal, following the fashion of the baroque gardens of the time. Its long staircases, ornamented with statues of kings and allegorical figures, rise above the box parterres and lead to terraces with wide views over the garden and the old town.

O que ver

• The great staircases and their flights of statues.
• The box hedges, topiary and fountains of the parterres.
• The tiles and the azulejo-lined walls of the terraces.
• The views over the castle walls and the city.

Melhor Época para Visitar

Spring and early summer show the garden at its freshest, and clear days reward the visitor with the best views from the upper terraces.

Nearby

The garden sits in the historic centre of Castelo Branco, close to the castle and the city’s museums.

Visiting

The garden is in central Castelo Branco, in the Beira Interior, reached by road and rail. It keeps daily opening hours, with variations by season; check with the municipality before your visit.

Information: cm-castelobranco.pt.

Image credit: Jardim do Paço Episcopal, Castelo Branco, by Bennekikkek, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.