The Palácio do Manteigueiro is located on the corner of Rua da Horta Seca and Rua da Emenda (ancient Travessa do Mel) in Baixa Pombalina. It has connecting to Rua das Chagas, through which servants and carriages used to enter.
This property, also known as the 'Palácio dos Viscondes de Condeixa' or 'Palácio Condeixa', was buit at the end of the 18th century, to a design by the royal architect Manuel Caetano de Sousa, who also designed the 'Biblioteca do Convento de Mafra' and the 'Igreja da Encarnação' in Lisbon, among other works.
Its first owner was a rich businessman of the Pombalina commercial bourgeoisie, Domingos Mendes Dias, from Trás-os-Montes, who came to Lisbon at a very young age, where he began life as a waterboy, then in a grocery shop and, who, after the earthquake, made a fortune in the butter trade, hence the nickname 'Manteigueiro', also passed on to the building.
The Palácio do Manteigueiro served for many years as an housing for different residents, it was also the headquarters of companies, and finally the State acquired for the seat of several ministries. Nowadays it is vacant.
