Palácio de Lahane

Palácio de Lahane
The palace in 2016
The palace in 2016
Map
Alternative namesPalácio das Nobres
General information
Type
  • Official residence
  • Reception centre
Architectural stylePortuguese colonial
Town or cityLahane Ocidental [de]
CountryEast Timor
Coordinates8°34′27″S 125°35′04″E / 8.574295°S 125.58445°E / -8.574295; 125.58445
Construction startedc. 1885
Completedc. 1933
Renovated2004–2008
OwnerGovernment of East Timor

The Palácio de Lahane (transl. Lahane Palace),[note 1] also known as the Palácio das Nobres (transl. Nobre Palace or, lit., Palace of the Nobles),[1] is a historic building in East Timor. As of 2022, its primary function was as a reception space for the East Timorese government.

History

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The palace, c. 1930s
The palace, c. 1930s

Conceived as an official residence for the colonial governors of Portuguese Timor, the palace has its roots in a house built on the site in 1860–61, during the governorship of Afonso de Castro (1859 to 1861 and 1862 to 1863).[2][3] Construction of that house was a first step in the relocation of the colony's capital from Dili to the mountains; the lowlands around the Bay of Dili were considered to be malaria-infested, especially during the rainy season.[3]

Governor João Maria Pereira [de; pt] (1883–1885) later planned the building of an official residence at the site, but it was only during the governorship of Alfredo de Lacerda Maia [de; pt] (1885–1887) that Pereira's plan was realised, as the Palácio de Lahane. Built between 1884 and 1886, it was an elongated building with turrets.[4] In the early 1930s, it was replaced by a new official residence, in a style vaguely reminiscent of that of chalets, with colonial art deco influences.[5]

In October 1942, during the closing stages of the Battle of Timor, which was ultimately won by the Japanese forces, most of the Portuguese civilians remaining in Portuguese Timor were interned by the Japanese, and the governor, Manuel Ferreira de Carvalho [de; pt], was confined to the palace.[6] There, he and 18 other people, including members of his family, survived on rations provided by the Japanese. Normally, they received only rice, and all occupants of the palace, including the servants, would share the rations. The only exception to the "normal" ration was on 5 October, Portugal's Republic Day (Portuguese: Implantação da República), when the Japanese would pay their respects to the governor: "At that time they gave us fish and meat to cook for them."[7]

The palace in 1945
The palace in 1945

On 1 September 1945, the day before the Empire of Japan signed the instrument of surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay to bring World War II to an end, the Japanese vice consul made another special visit to the governor at the palace, to inform him of the surrender of Japan on 15 August 1945.[6]

On 28 November 1975, the Fretilin political party made a unilateral declaration of independence of East Timor from Portuguese colonial rule. On 1 December 1975, in a ceremony held at the palace, Fretilin inaugurated a Council of Ministers of the newly independent nation.[8] However, Indonesia then invaded East Timor, and, on 17 December 1975, brought about a de facto usurpation of the Council of Ministers, by forming a Provisional Government of East Timor (PGET) (Indonesian: Pemerintah Sementara Timor Timur (PSTT)).[9] During the ensuing Indonesian occupation of East Timor between 1975 and 1999, the palace was known as the State Building (Indonesian: Gedung Negara), and was used for ceremonial purposes.[10]

Over time, the palace substantially deteriorated, especially in 1999, in the aftermath of the East Timorese independence referendum. In 2004, two years after East Timor resumed its independence, the Mayor of Lisbon and the Prime Minister of East Timor entered into a protocol with the objective of reconstructing the palace and redesignating it as the official residence of the president of East Timor.[11][12] The project, budgeted at €2.3 million, would be funded by the Lisbon City Council (CML). The first phase, expected to be concluded on 20 May 2005, the third anniversary of the resumption of independence, would be restoration of the palace and external arrangements. The second phase, due for completion in October 2005, would include the construction of the official residence and work offices.[13]

Event hall inside the palace in 2016
Event hall inside the palace in 2016

The project was ready to begin in October 2004,[11] but later ran into difficulties. Construction was still underway in 2007,[11] and the CML became unable to complete the works.[14] José Ramos-Horta, who was elected president in 2007, announced an unwillingness to move into the palace as an official residence.[15] In June 2008, the East Timorese government awarded a $2.6 million contract for the completion of the project.[14][16] The refurbished palace, extended with an annex building at the rear, is intended only as a reception space and temporary housing for the president or for guests.[11][17]

In February 2018, President Francisco Guterres and members of his staff planted trees in the grounds of the palace, to improve its environment.[18] In October 2020, Centro Nacional Chega! [de] presented him with a plan for the palace's improvement. The plan was to transform the palace into a centre of 'public recognition', celebration, solidarity, reflection and learning, and make it a tourist attraction. Central to it was a memorial to recall the swearing-in of Francisco Xavier do Amaral as president on 29 November 1975 and the formal inauguration of the first government at the palace on 30 November 1975. In response, the President announced that he would decide the final design to be used for the memorial.[1][19]

References

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Footnote

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  1. ^ The expression Palácio de Lahane is usually not translated in English language sources

Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Lú OLo appreciates Chega i.p for their plan of a memorial to Preserve the history at the Lahane Palace". Tatoli website. Tatoli. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  2. ^ Rocha, Carlos Vieira da (1994). Timor: a ocupação japonesa durante a Segunda Guerra mundial [Timor: The Japanese occupation during the Second World War] (in Portuguese). Sociedade Histórica da Independência de Portugal. ISBN 9729326134.
  3. ^ a b Boavida, Isabel (2016). "A salubridade nos discursos coloniais sobre Timor e as suas implicações no ordenamento do espaço" [Salubrity in colonial discourses about Timor and its implications for spatial planning] (PDF). Cabo Dos Trabhalos (in Portuguese). 12: Patrimónios de Influência Portuguesa. Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra: 3–5. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  4. ^ Miranda, Flávio; Boavida, Isabel, eds. (2015). Património Arquitetónico de Origem Portuguesa de Dili / Patrimoniu Arquitetoniku Origem Portuguesa Dili nian / Architectural Heritage of Portuguese Origins of Dili (in Portuguese, Tetum, and English). Dili: Secretária de Estado da Arte e Cultura. p. 40. ISBN 9789892060200. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Lahane: (Palácio Nobre)". timor-tourism.tl (in Portuguese).
  6. ^ a b Lino, Filipa (12 August 2016). "Os portugueses em Timor na II Guerra Mundial" [The Portuguese in Timor in World War II]. Jornal de Negócios (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Jantar em Timor com os ocupantes japoneses" [Dinner in Timor with Japanese occupiers]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 8 May 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Part 3: The History of the Conflict" (PDF). Chega! The Report of the Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation Timor-Leste. Dili: Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor. 2005. pp. 53–56. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  9. ^ Schwarz, A. (1994). A Nation in Waiting: Indonesia in the 1990s. Boulder, CO, US: Westview Press. p. 204. ISBN 1863736352.
  10. ^ "Chapter 7.3: Forced Displacement and Famine" (PDF). Chega! The Report of the Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation Timor-Leste. Dili: Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor. 2005. p. 91. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d "Reconstrução do Palácio de Lahane e construção da Residência Oficial em Timor-Leste" [Reconstruction of Lahane Palace and construction of the Official Residence in Timor-Leste]. União das Cidades Capitais de Língua Portuguesa [Union of Portuguese-Speaking Capital Cities] (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Câmara Lisboa apoia recuperação da residência oficial de Xanana Gusmão" [Lisbon City Council supports restoration of Xanana Gusmão's official residence]. Notícias Lusófonas. Lusa. 6 February 2004. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Câmara de Lisboa gasta 2,3 milhões para recuperar edifício histórico em Timor-Leste" [Lisbon City Council spends 2.3 million to recuperate historic building in Timor-Leste]. RTP Notícias (in Portuguese). Lusa. 26 October 2004. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  14. ^ a b "República Democrática de Timor-Leste Resolução do Governo 14 /2008" [Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Government Resolution 14/2008]. Jornal da República (in Portuguese). 4 June 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  15. ^ Horta, Loro (3 September 2014) [17 June 2009]. "CO09059 | Love-Hate Relationship: Australia, Timor and a Rising China - RSIS". S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Palácio de Lahane". Ensul Meci. 1 April 2009. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  17. ^ Grandão Lopes, Jorge M.; Camacho Baião, Manuel F. (December 2016). Relato da missão à República Democrática de Timor-Leste dos Investigadores do LNEC [Report of the Mission to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste of the LNEC Researchers] (PDF) (in Portuguese). Lisbon: Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil. pp. 2–4. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  18. ^ "President of the Republic plants trees at the Lahane Palace". Presidência da República de Timor-Leste. Mídia PR. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  19. ^ "President of the Republic pleased with the plan for the preservation of Lahane Palace's memory". Presidência da República de Timor-Leste. Mídia PR. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
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