The Story



The “Casa de Santiago” is one of the most striking buildings in Santiago do Cacém and both its location and its history make it a unique place on the Alentejo Coast.It was originally where the friars of the Order of Santiago lived. They took care of the Parish Church of Santiago (St James the Great), which is next to the house.

In the 16th century, it belonged to the “Feio” family, and as the house was destroyed by the earthquake of 1755, the ruins were sold in 1797 to Father Bonifácio Gomes de Carvalho, Prior of Santiago do Cacém, who was rebuilding the Parish church that had also been destroyed by the same earthquake.
The same priest Bonifácio later sell it in 1802 to Francisca Teresa de São José Nobre Pacheco (born c.1750, died 1833), and when she died she left the house to his daughter Maria da Natividade Murzello Falcão, who was married to Captain-Major Jacinto Paes de Matos, and it later went to their son, Jacinto Paes de Matos Falcão, 1st Count of Bracial, an important land-owner in and benefactor to Santiago do Cacém.



His daughter, Catarina Champallimaud Paes de Matos Falcão (Soares de Albergaria), inherited the house.


When she died without having had any children, she bequeathed the house to her cousin and goddaughter, Maria das Dores Cabral Parreira, who was married to the cavalry captain, António Lobo de Vasconcellos, son of General José Lobo de Vasconcellos, a ranking army officer and aide-de-camp to Their Majesties the Kings D. Carlos and D. Manuel II. This couple were also the grandparents of the current owners.