Portugal’s one and only dictator, António de Oliveira Salazar, lived at an address in the Rua Bernardo Lima in Lisbon for four years, moving to the Palacete de São Bento* only after an attempt on his life meant enhanced security was needed.
Salazar moved in to the top notch Lisbon property in 1933, the same year the Estado Novo, or New State, was established.
After a bomb attack in 1937 Salazar moved to the more salubrious Palacete de São Bento.
Before enjoying the palacete, Salazar lived at 64 Rua Bernardo Lima which now is just a facade and a hollow shell, left empty for decades despite its historic and architectural importance.
Graffiti now covers the remaining facade and greenery grows from the stonework, yet upwards of €5.5 million is being sought for the site.
The estate agent handling the sale says the 1,410m2 of land alone is worth the asking price as it lies in the centre of Lisbon in the Marquis de Pombal area.
Salazar moved to the capital as finance minister in 1928 arriving from Coimbra where he had studied law.
Before moving into no.65, Salazar rented. When in 1933 he was to become President Salazar, he purchased the building, deciding he needed something "befitting the dignity of the office" and chose the 'fin de siècle' property in Rua Bernardo Lima.
The attempt made on his life in 1937 took place as he made his way to chapel by car one Sunday morning. A bomb went off as he got out of the vehicle but Salazar survived the blast, shaken not stirred, and proceeded to the service.
Salazar, who died 44 years ago (27 July 1970), then decided to move out of his house to the safety of Palácio de Belém which the state purchased on his behalf, upgrading it and enhancing the level of security that could be offered.
Whether the new owner of no. 64 will be under an obligation to keep the façade, which normally would be the start point of a new structure, is not yet clear. The current graffiti in purple next to the front door reads, simply, "Where is my money?"
Palacios and palacetes explained by Mr Peter Booker:
"The Palácio de São Bento houses the Assembleia da República.
The Prime Minister (in Portuguese, confusingly called President of the Council of Ministers, currently of course Passos Coelho) lives ex officio in a connected building dating from 1877 called the Palacete de São Bento.
It was this building which was bought by the state in 1937.
The Palácio had been owned by the state since the suppression of the religious orders in 1834.
The Palacete stands on ground that was owned by the original Benedictine order.
The President of the Republic, Cavaco Silva, has his official residence at the Palácio de Belém.
Salazar did of course study law, but the reason that he was headhunted for the job of Finance Minister was that he had written a number of hard hitting articles on economics, and was teaching the subject at Coimbra University."
