Palácio da Bolsa
Joaquim da Costa Lima Júnior; Gustavo Adolfo Gonçalves e Sousa · Porto, Portugal · 1910
Palácio da Bolsa expresses the civic and commercial ambitions of Porto's nineteenth-century business community. Built through several campaigns for the Commercial Association, the palace combines a substantial urban exterior with richly differentiated ceremonial interiors. Joaquim da Costa Lima Júnior and Gustavo Adolfo Gonçalves e Sousa were among the principal contributors. The central court, stairways and reception rooms create a sequence whose character changes markedly from one space to the next. The celebrated Arab Room is part of this larger composition. The 1910 completion date reflects the extended building campaign rather than a single short construction phase. Visiting: The palace is visited on guided tours with admission tickets.