The Quartel da Graça, a historic building located in Lisbon, remains undeveloped and closed to the public several years after being granted by the Portuguese State to the SANA hotel group for the construction of a five-star hotel. The project envisaged the rehabilitation of the property and the opening of the hotel in 2022, but the space remains vacant.
According to the channel, the concession contract was formalized in December 2019 by the General Directorate of Treasury and Finance, providing for an estimated investment of 30 million euros. The plan included the creation of a hotel with around 120 rooms and more than 15,000 square meters of construction area.
Before being used as a military installation, the space had another function. According to the same source, the building began as the Convento da Graça, founded in the 13th century and classified as a national monument since 1910.
In 1834, after political and military changes in the country, the convent began to be occupied by the Army and adopted the name Quartel da Graça. According to the same source, over time the space continued to be used by military structures.
From military use to abandonment
In the 2000s, part of the installations hosted GNR and Army services. However, according to the same source, the property ended up being progressively unoccupied until it was abandoned for several years.
With the building unused, the State decided to integrate it into a strategy to enhance historical heritage. According to the same source, the barracks was included in the program Revivelaunched to promote the recovery of monuments through private investment.
A project that never progressed
The program provided for the concession of historic buildings to private entities for tourist or cultural exploitation. Quartel da Graça was one of the properties chosen for this process.
Despite the contract establishing a deadline of four years for the completion of the works, the intervention never progressed. Anyone who currently passes through Largo da Graça can see signs of degradation, such as broken tiles, damaged windows, leaks and graffitied walls.
Questions about compliance with the contract
In addition to the recovery of the property, the contract also provided for financial obligations for the concessionaire. According to the same source, the SANA group was responsible for paying around R$1.79 million per year to the State for the use of the building.
This payment would only begin after the first four years of the concession. Euronews reports that, since 2024, the accumulated value has already exceeded 3.5 million euros, although it is not clear whether these amounts are being paid.
Residents want another destination for the barracks
The prolongation of the situation led to the mobilization of residents of the Graça area. According to the same source, in 2024 the Assembly of Graça was created, a group of residents opposed to the installation of the hotel.
Among the participants is Carolina Camargo Abreu, who criticizes the current state of the building. “Clearly, they are breaching the contract. They are responsible for the security and care of the property. The restoration work should have started a long time ago”, he told the channel. The resident adds that the space could host projects for the community, such as “the cinema, the library, the theater, the meeting place for young people”, arguing that the barracks could better serve the neighborhood if it had another type of use.
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