The Casa da Lage is a fine example of the XVII / XVIII, in the heart of the green Minho, where the beauty, the friendliness and the well-being always go hand in hand.

The refined and comfortable decor, quality restored, the chapel, and the fantastic indoor pool with glass walls that stop the outdoor landscape, show the care with which everything has been thought.

The house has ten bedrooms (3 doubles and 7 twins) spread over two buildings (Main House and House Granary), all with bath and TV room many large rooms, Chapel and individually controlled central heating, Casa da Lage offers conditions excellent accommodation in the characteristic atmosphere of the Portuguese noble house, to which are added the amenities of a quality tourism.

Indoor swimming pool in heated, bar, games room, tennis, wide on the tours Thursday and all kind of usual leisure activities can be enjoyed by guests of Casa da Lage, a beauty and quiet environment, in full communion with nature .

Set at the foot of the Arga mountain range, next to Green Park Bertiandos Lagoon, surrounded by prime locations for hiking, with the river beach of the river Lima 3 km away and a golf course 10 km away, a short walk from the beautiful village of Ponte de Lima, with its festivals and monuments, the Casa da Lage enjoys an idyllic environment.

In Casa da Lage, comfort, friendliness and refinement are synonymous of historical, ethnographic and cultural value it represents, hence the number of distinguished visitors who stayed in this house.

A little of history…

“ Raised in north-south position, the Casa da Lage is the classic model of Minho noble house of the end of the century. XVII, with the peculiarity, unusual in both its main front and the back, are both worthy of repair. ”

Thus describes Lambert Pereira da Silva, Casa da Lage, in his work “Noble Portugal Houses”.

It is located that home, within an extensive farm that once, in addition to a part made up of free goods “tithes to God,” was formed by two major periods:

The “Prazo Velho da Lage” or “Prazo de S. João D”Arga” as it was originally foreiro to that convent, whom the copyholder paid in annual rent, 1,200 kings and a kid, was perpetual and freely appointed. Was established in 1468 and later renovated (September 5, 1551) in favor of Antonio Machado de Brito, son of Vasco Anes de Brito and sm D. Guiomar Machado (daughter or granddaughter of Pedro Machado, 1st Lord of Entre Man and Cávado). António Machado de Brito was Fidalgo of the Royal House and accompanied the king D. Sebastião at the battle of Alcazarquivir. Married D. Leonesa de Carvalho, the daughter of Pedro Anes, Abbot of the Monastery of St. John D “Arga by indication of Vila Real de Pombal, who was a personal friend, and whom he accompanied when he was Badajoz receive the Princess D. Joan, mother of King Sebastian (Felgueiras Gaio, Costas title, p. 217). In that renewal, confirmed by papal bull, might read:

“… and he / Lord Abbot by / many respects and fair, and / Big Improvements that / was “in said Thursday, and / made by his father and Avos / delle Antonio Machado, / and come to your generation very / old and ellle Lord / Pedro Annes Dom Abbade, / he delighted you how in fact / pleased to grant, such as / in fact granted, and gave / by-term basis to / said Antonio Machado and his wife Leoneza / Carvalha daughter delle / Sir Don abbot … “Extinct the Convent of St. São João D” Arga, went direct two of his landlady goods for the house of Vila Real de Pombal, their patron, after attempted regicide to the House of Infantado and later to the National Treasury .

The “Prazo da Igreja”, foreiro the Parish Church, whom the copyholder recognized annually with the forum of eight kings in cash. It was free appointment and was purchased April 29, 1772 by Manuel de Sousa ax Constantino de Sousa Antas Magellan and sm D. Joan Louise de Antas Ortega (FG tt.º Antas, # 61, # 15), the importance of two thousand five hundred crossed.

Later, these forums, and other deadlines linked to the house were redeemed by copyholder Rafael Pinto de Almeida e Meneses.

house with the current setting, is the result of successive constructions from a primitive nucleus erected at the “tithe to God” and that, according to the Family tradition, remote to the reign of King Sancho I, even though the 1st Lord known and already mentioned, Vasco Annes de Brito, has lived in the first half of the century. XVI. Part of the most architecturally rich house and that Lambert Pereira da Silva refers, attributing it to the late seventeenth century, it is the result of the efforts of three generations, a space that will approximately 1650-1750.

Jerónimo de Sousa Machado who was the 1st Administrator of the bond of the House of Lage, Fidalgo and Patron of the Royal House “in solidum” of St. Peter’s Parish Church D “Arcos, where lies buried, extended the above primitive core and added to it a tower (today called “old tower”). He built the house chapel, the invocation of Nossa Senhora presentation, whose primitive license was given on 25 August 1674. He married for the 3rd time (having no issue of early marriages) with Joana de Távora, daughter Simon de Távora, Fidalgo of the Royal House, field Master in Restoration War, Commander of Stº Apollinaris of Vila Verde and his wife D. Gerónima de Almeida. They have, among other children:

Manuel de Sousa Machado, born and died at the Casa da Lage respectively 11.27.1671 and 12.24.1728. On the death of his father, which took place on 09.30.1685, it was the 2nd administrator of that house, patron saint of the Parish Church, Fidalgo of the Royal House and Captain of Infantry in Alentejo. Was the major driver of the works initiated by his father, he must not only construction of the “new tower”, as almost all of the building located between the two towers. These works that in the formal of his son, is estimated at 2,500,000 kings. To him should also beautiful ceilings, coffered ceilings carved in the halls of the house. Married for the 3rd time (having no issue of early marriages) with D. Francisca Manuela Sarmento Sotomaior and Figueroa, daughter of D. Diogo Sarmento Sotomaior, Mr. Parade of Homes and Val You think in Galicia, and sm D. Josefa Maria Prado Figueroa. They have, among other children:

Antonio Diogo de Sousa Machado, born and died at the Casa da Lage, respectively 04.17.1723 and 04.11.1791. Was the 3rd administrator of the house, patron saint of the parish church and Fidalgo of the Royal House, as their ancestors. Expanded the chapel built by his grandfather placing it leaning against the house, allowing the passage to the choir, and changed the invocation to Nossa Senhora da Conceição. With it, the house Lage took the configuration that met him until 1950.

The coat of arms, exuberant baroque work of carving, which on top of the roof “Hall D” Arms “(quartered of Sousas, Axes, Oaks and meneses) has its justification family with the marriage of D. Guiomar Machado, Antonio’s daughter Brito and sm ax D. Leoneza de Carvalho (who was renovated Lage Term) with António de Sousa Meneses, illegitimate son of Damião de Sousa, Sr. of Penteeiros house (later linked to Bertiandos house) .

The 08/12/1775, D. Guiomar Luisa de Sousa Machado, 6th of Lage home link the Administrator, married Belchior Pinto Barbosa de Almeida and Alexandria, Lord of Barrosa House in Vila Franca, (have, among other the Rafael Pinto de Almeida and Meneses, to which I have already referred by consolidated have domains to house Lage and Barrosa, a forum for remission of card pays the National Treasury) getting the two houses so connected.

In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, for lack of legitimate generation of this branch of the family Sousa Machado, passed these houses, and their goods, to Barrosa Viscount family, José Ribeiro Lima da Costa Azevedo, Lord of Vila Meã House in S . Martin of Frescainha Vila, in the municipality of Barcelos, solar da Costa Azevedo family, the birthplace of 07/08/1851. Were people with political influence in the region and was awarded by King D. Carlos, 9/10/1925, and are his weapons found in the noble gate of the house. Although that is not the official version of parish records, employed very old house said the possession of this still linked to their original family because the rashes time had taken cover an unhappy love affair.

The Casa da Lage It is now the property of the heirs of his grandson, Eng Tec. Agricultural José Adolfo da Costa Azevedo, who died in this house to 10.11.1984, which greatly worried about its restoration (the house found itself abandoned for generations because the family lived in the house Barrosa) and gave him some works beneficiation in particular. Demolition of an addition distasteful, leaning against the left lateral body of the rear facade, increasing and thus embellishing said facade. Because of this demolition, and for the sake of symmetry, also the chapel of the location had to be changed, with the utmost care in which none of its structure was changed. This was tapped to run on the floor, graves that the chapel initially lacked. These works were completed in July 1986 by his son, Eng José Adolfo Coelho da Costa Azevedo, having restarted the service with the baptism of his daughter Maria on September 13 of that year. The ceremony was chaired by Mr. D. Carlos Martins Pinheiro, Bishop Dume Holder and Braga Helper.

By desire expressed in life and after obtaining the necessary license for portadoria the Minister of Internal Affairs, Eng Eurico de Melo, of 03.20.1986, published in the Official Gazette Series II, No. 75 of 01.04.1986, were the remains, mortal José Adolfo da Costa Azevedo transferred to the Chapel of the Casa da Laje, on 09/28/1986.

After approval by the Directorate General of Tourism, of the draft, and given the incentive granted by the Tourism Fund, started up in January 1997, the restoration work and adaptation of Lage home, and his granary, for a Tourism unit housing, and these works completed in May 2000.