This week, at UMinho I&D, the journey takes us to the 18th century to discover the history behind one of Braga’s most iconic buildings.
The starting point is the book “The Viscount of São Lázaro and the Raio Palace,” a research work that earned the author the prestigious Lusitânia History Prize. This is the third time in just five years that the researcher’s work has been recognized by this institution.

Marta Lobo de Araújo, professor at the Institute of Social Sciences at UMinho and integrated researcher at Lab2PT/IN2PAST, winner of the 6th edition of the prize awarded by the Portuguese Academy of History, talks about the rise and fall of Miguel José Raio and the legacy he left in the city.

 

In an interview with the UMinho I&D program, the historian details the fascinating trajectory of Miguel José Raio, the man who bought and remodeled one of the most iconic buildings of Braga’s Baroque period, giving it the face and tiles we know today.

 

An antithesis to the caricature of the “Brazilian returnee”

Nineteenth-century literature, through authors such as Eça de Queiroz or Camilo Castelo Branco, accustomed the Portuguese imagination to the caricature of the emigrant who returns rich from Brazil: often considered uncultured, rude, and a “nouveau riche” without taste. Marta Lobo de Araújo’s research proves exactly the opposite in the case of the Viscount of São Lázaro. “This idea of ​​men who lack refined tastes, who are not cultured, is a wrong idea. Miguel José Raio is exactly the opposite: he is a sophisticated man, politically active, and brought a new mentality,” says the author.

Born near the Cathedral of Braga in 1814, Miguel José Raio emigrated to Belém do Pará as a young man. There, he built a commercial empire that imported and sold “everything,” from eyeglasses and necklaces to furniture, creating a distribution network that went up the Amazon rivers to bring products throughout the territory. Upon returning to Braga in 1853, he revealed himself to be a citizen of the world. A Freemason, city councilor for the Progressive Party, and member of the reception committee for the emperors of Brazil, Miguel José Raio frequently traveled to European capitals such as London and Paris on business. He was involved in the founding of the São Geraldo Theater, the arrival of the railroad to the city of the archbishops, and the creation of several banking institutions.

 

The Palace as a stage and the opening of Rua do Raio

By acquiring the Palácio do Raio, an 18th-century building designed by André Soares, Miguel José Raio transformed it into an instrument for asserting power. The investigation confirms that he was responsible for cladding the facade with the famous blue tiles that now define the building. But his intervention in the urban landscape went further: “he ordered the opening of Rua do Raio precisely to give visibility to the Palace. The building needed to be seen from the front,” explains the researcher.

The interior of the house was reconstructed by Marta Lobo de Araújo through the discovery of an inventory in the Braga District Archive. The document reveals a residence filled with the most modern things in Europe: imported fabrics and carpets, sophisticated chandeliers, and even cutting-edge agricultural technology for the adjacent farm. The palace functioned as a center of sociability where the Viscount’s daughters, educated at the German School of Porto, played the piano for the local elite. It was a “show-house,” where even the private oratory served for ceremonies (weddings, baptisms, and funerals) that dispensed with going to church, marking the superior status of the owner. Despite the opulence and decorations, the investigation reveals a dramatic end to his life. In his final years, Miguel José Raio entered a financial spiral. To maintain his social status and constant support for charitable institutions (such as the São Lázaro Asylum and confraternities), he began living on credit. “I think at some point he lost his sense of reality. And not wanting to descend in social status, he endured for some time an illusion that no longer corresponded to the truth,” says Marta Lobo de Araújo.

The Viscount died unmarried, suddenly and without a will, leaving the Palace “riddled with debt” to the Banco do Minho, an institution that ended up taking possession of the property. A story that reflects the fragility of some fortunes of the time and serves as a counterpoint to the visible success of the tiled facade.

 

Next stop: The Endoenças Procession

In addition to this award-winning work, Marta Lobo de Araújo revealed to RUM that she is about to complete a new book focused on one of the city’s oldest traditions: the Endoenças Procession (or Ecce Homo).

The researcher delved into the archives of the Misericórdia of Braga to study five centuries of history of this religious manifestation, discovering “another city” through the organization of this festival that continues to be a landmark of Braga’s Holy Week.

 

The interview with UMinho I&D was conducted this Thursday, November 27th, on the University of Minho Radio.

 

Programme: HERE