The Garden of the Episcopal Palace of Castelo Branco was distinguished on the night of September 12 to 13, 2026 as one of the New 7 Wonders of Portugal, in the Tourism category. The announcement was made on September 13 at the Vila Palace in Sintra, at an event that projected this Albicastrense heritage space internationally. The distinction represents a moment of great significance for the city of Castelo Branco and for the preservation of Portuguese heritage.
The garden, classified as a National Monument, is one of the most singular expressions of Portuguese baroque. It was commissioned around 1720 by the Bishop of Guarda, D. João de Mendonça, as a winter residence for the bishops. In 1771, it became the official residence of the Bishop of Castelo Branco, receiving new works at the end of the 18th century by D. Vicente Ferrer da Rocha. In 1919, the space was acquired by the Municipal Council of Castelo Branco, ceasing to be an episcopal garden to become public heritage.
The space is divided into four main terraces, organized according to an aesthetic, religious, and symbolic logic. It is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, whose center of composition features five lakes and an extraordinary sculptural ensemble that includes the Zodiac Signs, the Four Seasons, the Continents, and the Cardinal and Theological Virtues. The Staircase of Kings represents the Portuguese monarchs, with Philip I, Philip II, and Philip III depicted in smaller dimensions, in reference to the period of Dual Monarchy. The Flooded Garden features a fountain with three intertwined dolphins supporting a crown, while the Upper Plan includes the renowned Moses Fountain.
The victory of the Episcopal Palace Garden is interpreted in the article as a new commitment for the community of Castelo Branco. The author, Fernando Jesus Pires, argues that a wonder does not live merely from the recognition it receives, but from the capacity to continue being cared for, from the memory it transmits, and from the responsibility to preserve what was inherited from previous generations for future generations. The article concludes that the distinction honors the past, summons the present, and imposes on the future the obligation to preserve what time has not managed to erase.
