4.5.11 Museu Nacional dos Coches
Avenida da Índia 136
Location HERE.
Closed Mondays.
The National Coach Museum showcases a variety of horse-drawn coaches, and even one or two sedan chairs, that have been used to transport a very small percentage of the population over the centuries.
Those privileged enough to use the coaches displayed, or perhaps that should be endure rather than use, were Royalty, nobility, senior members of the Catholic Church, their families, and very few others.
How slow these were is emphasised when we discover that, in its last days, the mail coach running between Lisbon and Porto took well over 30 hours to cover the distance, and simply that the service ended when the railway came.
Some of the larger coaches, especially in the years following the discovery of Brazil and exploitation of its natural resources, have an OTT amount of gold decoration. This has to be seen to be believed.
The main exhibits are laid out around the First Floor of the museum, with smaller and temporary exhibitions on the Second Floor. The lift to take you up to the Second Floor is at the other end of the building to the lift that took you from the entrance to the First Floor.
A very useful museum to have in Belém, for when you visit and find the weather has turned wet. There is also a café on the Ground Floor.
Tram 15, Buses 714, 727 and 751 on Rua da Junqueira, Bus 728 on Avenida da Índia, Heavy rail services across Avenida da Índia at Belém station.
Location HERE.
Closed Mondays.
The National Coach Museum showcases a variety of horse-drawn coaches, and even one or two sedan chairs, that have been used to transport a very small percentage of the population over the centuries.
The Oceans' Coach. With just a little gold on view
How slow these were is emphasised when we discover that, in its last days, the mail coach running between Lisbon and Porto took well over 30 hours to cover the distance, and simply that the service ended when the railway came.
Some of the larger coaches, especially in the years following the discovery of Brazil and exploitation of its natural resources, have an OTT amount of gold decoration. This has to be seen to be believed.
A very useful museum to have in Belém, for when you visit and find the weather has turned wet. There is also a café on the Ground Floor.
Tram 15, Buses 714, 727 and 751 on Rua da Junqueira, Bus 728 on Avenida da Índia, Heavy rail services across Avenida da Índia at Belém station.
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