Garden

Its current structure is the result of an intervention carried out in the 1950s, a collaboration between the last marchioness of Ficalho, Mariazinha de Mello, and the forestry engineer from Serpense José Pulido Garcia.

Like so many historic gardens in Portugal, the garden of Palácio Ficalho consists of a grove and an orchard enclosed by boxwood and some cypress trees. The orchard in this garden is a beautiful orange grove. The water that irrigates this orange grove and the rest of the garden comes from a waterwheel in a tower of the walls of Serpa and enters through an aqueduct that was built with the sole purpose of supplying the palace. The relationship with the aqueduct and the wall of Serpa is undoubtedly its most emblematic feature.

And yet, the history of this garden is yet to be written. It is known that at the beginning of the 20th century its function was essentially productive, serving as a meeting point between the several agricultural properties owned by the family. But what use had it previously? What was its structure and composition? How did the water circulate in this garden and with what purpose? These questions remain to be answered, and we are working hard to do so.

Water and power meet in this Alentejo garden, known in the family as quintalão (in English, “big yard”).