Filippo Juvarra, at the Portuguese and Spanish courts.

Abstract

The arrival in Lisbon of the Messinese architect Filippo Juvarra, at the request of King John V, was part of a carefully calibrated process undertaken by the Portuguese monarchy to reaffirm itself as a European power and turn Lisbon into the capital of a vast overseas empire. During Juvarra’s brief stay of just six months, the talented architect was able to funnel these concerns into remarkable designs, in which he projected the magnificence of the Portuguese court, the power of its king, and the image of a cultural capital that had its eyes set on Rome, capital of the ancient Roman Empire and heart of Catholic Christianity. Fifteen years later, the Spanish court called on Juvarra to rebuild the royal palace in Madrid, after the fire of the old Alcázar. Philip V, the first reigning Bourbon in Spain, yearned for a new architectural symbol of royal power and chose Juvarra to erect it.