On June 7, the Lyceum Club paid a visit to the recently inaugurated Royal Treasury Museum in Palácio da Ajuda, where we were able to admire, divided into 11 thematic nuclei, a precious collection made up of gold and diamonds from Brazil, coins and medals of the Crown, the valuable jewels of the Crown with tiaras, necklaces, bracelets, rings, an emerald loop, the tobacco box ordered by D. José to the goldsmiths of King Luís XVIII of France in the 18th century, with highlight to the Insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece of King João VI (with 2 pink diamonds, rubies, sapphires, gold and silver), and the Crown of King Maria II studded with 5 sapphires and 1.400 diamonds.
In the 4th and 5th nuclei, the Honorific Orders and Royal Insignias, the royal crown, the sceptres, 2 cloaks, one of which was offered by Pope Pius VI to Portugal, in the 18th century, embroidered in gold and whose making took 5 years.
The Crown Silver, both utilitarian and decorative, and pieces of religious goldsmithery from the 18th and 19th centuries await us. The Apparatus Silverware with salves and Portuguese silver from the 16th century, a set of 23 pieces reserved for the Crown’s great public ceremonies, and in the 7th nucleus pieces from the private collections of King Fernando II and his son Luís I. Highlights include the Baixela Germain, commissioned by King Dom José to the goldsmith François-Thomas Germain, after the 1755 earthquake.
The last section is called “Viagens do Tesouro Real” (Royal Treasure Journeys), where you can see the transport boxes.