The Palácio dos Condes da Ribeira Grande, built in the early 18th century by D. Francisco Luís Baltasar da Gama, Marquis of Nisa, later became home to the Marquises and Counts of Ribeira Grande. Remarkably, it survived the devastating 1755 Lisbon earthquake with little damage.
Its chapel, Capela de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, features a distinctive tripartite façade and a nearly square nave. The main altarpiece was created by Máximo Paulino dos Reis.
Over the centuries, the palace served as several educational institutions, during which time parts of the chapel and interiors deteriorated, with some frescoes, tiles, and woodwork falling into disrepair.
