Antônio Lemos Palace

The Antônio Lemos Palace, also known as the Belém Art Museum, is a public building, palace, and museum that serves as the city hall of Belém, Brazil. Located in the Cidade Velha neighborhood, it functions as the official seat of the Municipal Power and the Museum of the Art of Belém (MABE), a dual role it has held since 1994. Originally called the Palacete Azul, or Casa no Largo do Palácio, the structure stands as a significant monument to the rubber cycle that shaped the region's history.

José da Gama Abreu designed the building in 1860 in the late neoclassical style. Initially named Palacete Azul due to the blue color of its facade, the structure underwent an enlargement and modifications in 1883 under the direction of Antonio Landi. In the 1950s, the palace was renamed in honor of Antônio Lemos, who served as the capital's intendant from 1897 to 1911. Lemos was responsible for the urbanization and modernization of Belém, and in 1911 he added coverings, furniture, and objects according to European fashion. These additions, signed by masters such as Capranesi, De Angelis, and Teodoro Braga, were intended to rival the cosmopolitan aesthetics of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

As the home of the Museum of the Art of Belém (MABE), the palace holds and displays art and decorative objects. The collection's character reflects the opulence of the rubber cycle, with particular strength in European fashion and decorative arts from the early 20th century, specifically the additions acquired by Antônio Lemos in 1911 to furnish and decorate the interiors.

The notable holdings of the palace include the early 20th-century coverings, furniture, and decorative objects introduced by Intendant Antônio Lemos in 1911. These specific items were signed by European masters and craftsmen, including Capranesi, De Angelis, and Teodoro Braga, representing the height of the fashion imported to Belém during the rubber boom.

The palace is a late neoclassical building designed by José da Gama Abreu in 1860. It is situated in the Cidade Velha neighborhood of Belém, an area dense with protected historic sites. The palace itself is protected by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN). Nearby heritage buildings in the same zone include the Ver-o-Peso Dock, the Clock Square, the Dom Pedro II Square, the Lauro Sodré Palace (Government Palace), and the Solar da Beira.

The Antônio Lemos Palace is located in the Cidade Velha neighborhood of Belém, Pará, Brazil. Since 1994, it has functioned as the official seat of the Municipal Power and the Museum of the Art of Belém (MABE). As a public building and city hall, it operates under the municipal government, with further information available through the official city website.