The Foundation

The Casa de Mateus Foundation was established on December 3, 1970, by D. Francisco de Sousa Botelho de Albuquerque, 3rd Count of Mangualde, 6th Count of Vila Real and 5th Count de Melo, who donated a substantial part of his estate to the Foundation. His intent was to his family’s legacy.

The Mission of the Casa de Mateus Foundation is clearly articulated in its bylaws: restore and preserve the Casa de Mateus (a Portuguese National Monument) and its gardens, research and publish the rich history and heritage of the house and family (dating back to the XII century), and support artistic, cultural, educational, and social science activities that further these aims. D.Francisco was following in the footsteps of many generations of forebears who sought to consolidate and preserve the family’s holdings; yet did so with a modern twist by creating a non-profit Foundation with a public, cultural, and educational mission, thus ensuring its continuation into the 21st century and its relevance for future generations.

Today, the Casa de Mateus Foundation is a dynamic organization noted for its role in promoting art, culture, and education and for the excellence and variety of its work and publications. Its priceless heritage, assembled over centuries, is now managed as a whole and is accessible to the public. The founder’s family has played a major role in the Foundation’s evolution and growth and continues to be actively engaged.

D. Francisco knew how to interpret this family pattern, updating it and creating the necessary conditions for its viability in the 21st century.

The statutory aims of the Casa de Mateus Foundation are the preservation of the House, the study of its archives and the promotion of cultural, scientific and educational activities.

Today, the Foundation is a dynamic, community-oriented organisation and, by promoting knowledge and excellence in its most varied interventions, it occupies a prominent place on the national and international scene, to which the collective and individual efforts of the founder's family point.

Principles and Code of conduct

The main objectives of the Casa de Mateus Foundation are:

The conservation of the national monument - Casa de Mateus;
Restoring and improving the house, gardens, chapel and other facilities;
The cataloguing and study of the entire archive, promoting the publication of what it contains of historical, political, military, social, economic and artistic interest;
The admission of scholars to consult and study all the documents and other elements of interest it holds, as well as the public visiting the monument;
Cultural, educational and artistic activities that are compatible with the monument and decided by the directors;
The maintenance of worship in the attached chapel, under the current conditions, maintaining the masses and obligations instituted by the Morgados de Mateus and their successors until the founder of this Foundation.

In order to achieve these goals, the Foundation keeps the House and Gardens open to the public, and promotes studies, research and other initiatives that encourage knowledge and publicity of its heritage.In pursuing its activities, the Casa de Mateus Foundation will endeavour to be faithful to the commitment to social responsibility that constitutes its mission, as defined by its founder.