The Duke’s Palace in Vila Viçosa is located around 200 km east of Lisbon. Its construction was ordered in 1501 by Jaime, 4th Duke of Bragança and shortly thereafter became the main residence of the House of Bragança and continued as such until the 8th Duke, João II, was proclaimed King of Portugal in 1640 as King João IV.

From this date on, the Palace in Vila Viçosa became only a country residence of the Royal Family that occupied it until the Monarchy was overthrown and the Republic established in 1910.

In 1984, an agreement with the House of Bragança Foundation allowed an Annexe of the National Coach Museum to be placed in the Dukes Palace in Vila Viçosa. This allowed the exhibition of public vehicles, mostly belonging to the Museum’s collection, and others from the National Palace of Ajuda, Évora Museum, Machado de Castro Museum, from private collections and those from the Duke’s Palace itself.

The exhibition is organized in groups, the first being housed in the former Royal Coach House built by King João V in 1728 on the occasion of the “Exchange of Princesses” ceremony on the border at Caia River. The second is located in the stables constructed by King José I around 1752, and the third and fourth are distributed in the stables built during the reign of Queen Maria I.

Highlighted among the 73 vehicles exhibited here, there are some coaches and Berlins from the 18th century belonging to the Royal Family and a large variety of Ceremonial Vehicles from the 19th century and 20th centuries. Examples of these are Carriages, Landaus, Calashes, Phaetons, Milords, Clarences, Broughams, Victorias, a Spider Phaeton and a Mail Coach.

A group of vehicles used for hunting and in the country, such as the Charabanc, the Carts and a Country Cart provide evidence of the activities of the aristocracy on their various farms, estates and game preserves. Two Hi-Wheelers complete this exhibition.