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Who was Eça de Queiroz, and what does it mean to be transferred to Panteão Nacional?

Tiago Rodrigues da Costa

Olá a todos,


Those who have been paying attention to the Portuguese news recently may have heard about the transfer of Eça de Queiroz’s remains to Panteão Nacional. 


If you don’t know who Eça de Queiroz was and, perhaps, never heard about the Portuguese Panteão Nacional, follow me through this piece. In this newsletter, I’ll write about Eça de Queiroz and explain why he’s one of the biggest personalities in Portuguese History. I’ll also give you insights about the Panteão Nacional, the history behind this monument, and what other personalities can be found there. I’ll finish by discussing why Queiroz’s transfer to Panteão generated a lot of controversy in Portuguese society lately. In other words, what does it mean, and what does it take for someone to be transferred to Panteão Nacional?


Queiroz's work, characterized by realism, social criticism and narrative innovation, continues to be a central reference in Portuguese literature, marking a period of great transformation and modernity in Portugal. © Fundação Eça de Queiroz

Who was José Maria Eça de Queiroz?

If you searched the Portuguese classics of literature, you may have encountered the name “Os Maias” [The Maias]. This novel was written by Eça de Queiroz and was published in two volumes in 1888. 


It became one of the top literary pieces in Portuguese history because it realistically portrayed the Portuguese bourgeoisie at a time when there was a lot of political questioning. The story is set in the capital Lisboa, in the late 19th century, despite Queiroz naming it a “big village” for lacking modernism and being behind the biggest European cities. “Os Maias” is full of irony, sarcasm, and criticism of Portuguese conservatism. It focuses on the Maias family as a reference to many other high-class families, touching on the influence of the Catholic Church and the corrupted journalistic groups.


“Os Maias” is considered today a very impactful piece on a change in mentalities. As a matter of fact, only 22 years after “Os Maias,” in 1910, the Portuguese got rid of their monarchy to implement a republic.


To understand a little bit more about him: Eça de Queiroz was born in 1845 in Póvoa do Varzim (north of Porto) in a high-class family. His father was born in Brazil and became a judge in Portugal; while his mother originated from a family linked to the Portuguese army—lieutenant colonel and sergeant major were the ranks his ancestors obtained in the army.


When he was only 15 years old, he enrolled in Universidade de Coimbra, where he studied law, but it was in journalism and literature that he found his path. He became a prominent writer and published several novels of great influence in the Portuguese society. When he passed away in 1900, Queiroz was initially buried in Lisboa but was transferred to a family plot in Baião, close to Porto, in 1989. His remains stayed there until recently.


As a thinker and a writer, Queiroz looked inside in a very unique way. The truth is that everyone loves to know about the others' blood and drama; what if it’s about us?

In 1964, António de Oliveira Salazar visited Panteão Nacional, deciding to take advantage of an image trapped in the popular superstition of a never-ending work, ordering its completion in two years. The inauguration was to coincide with the regime's fortieth anniversary celebrations in 1966. At a particularly difficult time, it was important to show the Portuguese and the world how the Estado Novo had the strength to destroy myths of incapacity. © Panteão Nacional

What is the Panteão Nacional?

By looking back into history and trying to understand the beginnings of pantheons, it’s generally accepted that the first pantheon in the history of humanity is the Pantheon of Rome. It was built by Agrippa at the request of the Emperor Augustus in 27 Before Christ. The purpose of this building was to be a temple to 12 important Gods (Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, Minerva, Mars, Venus, Apollo, Diana, Vulcan, Vesta, Mercury, and Ceres).


In other countries, such as Portugal, the pantheon became a national building used to consecrate many individuals who enhanced the nation to the highest levels of international recognition.


In Portugal, the Panteão Nacional was initially built as a church, known as Igreja de Santa Engrácia. This church was founded in 1568 at the request of Infanta D. Maria, daughter of King D. Manuel I, but it was never finished until the mid-20th century at the hands of Salazar. The building was titled Panteão Nacional in 1916, before it was ended in 1966.


In Law No. 14/2016, which defines and regulates the honors of Panteão Nacional, it can be read, “The honours of the Pantheon are intended to pay tribute to and perpetuate the memory of Portuguese citizens who distinguished themselves by services rendered to the country, in the exercise of high public office, high military service, in the expansion of Portuguese culture, in literary, scientific and artistic creation or in defense of the values of civilization, in favour of the dignity of the human person and the cause of freedom.”


The Portuguese Panteão Nacional is classified, nowadays, as a national monument. It honors the life of personalities such as navigators Infante D. Henrique (1394-1460), Vasco da Gama (1469-1524) and Pedro Álvares Cabral (1468-1526), the poet Luís Vaz de Camões (1525-1580), diplomat Aristides de Sousa Mendes (1885-1954), among others. Other personalities have their tomb there—typically, they lived in the previous century. Among these are the first President of the Republic of Portugal, Manuel de Arriaga (1840-1917). Also, the playwright Almeida Garrett (1799-1854), fado legend Amália Rodrigues (1920-1999), poet Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen (1919-2004), football player Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (1942-2014), and more recently Eça de Queiroz, among others, have their tomb in Panteão Nacional.



On January 8th, 2025, Eça de Queiroz was transferred from the Cemetery where he was buried in the north of Portugal, to Panteão Nacional, located in the center of the Portuguese capital of Lisboa. The President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Prime-Minister Luís Montenegro and many other personalities were present in this event. © Grupo Parlamentar PSD

Why wasn’t it easy to transfer Eça de Queiroz to Panteão Nacional?

To put it simply, Eça de Queiroz was not transferred sooner to Panteão Nacional, because his descendants (in particular, six out of 22 grandchildren) didn’t want to and filed lawsuits to try to stop the transfer.


Transferring someone to Panteão Nacional is a bureaucratic process. In theory, any Portuguese personality can be transferred to the Panteão. For that to happen, such a decision needs to be confirmed by the majority of the Portuguese Parliament. The transfer of Eça de Queiroz was confirmed on January 21st, 2021, but was put on hold because some of the Queiroz’s descendants made legal efforts to stop it.


One of his grandchildren, who criticized the decision and filed a lawsuit, claimed that Eça de Queiroz was critical of the political institutions and said that if Queiroz was alive today, he, himself, would say no to Panteão Nacional. He also said that this was another victory of the capital, Lisboa, for removing his remains from the family lot in the Cemetery of Santa Cruz do Douro, located in Baião, Porto.


Many people who opposed the transfer pointed to the emotional connection to the interior as one of the reasons. Without Eça de Queiroz in Baião, many people who could travel there to see his tomb aren't going to go there anymore. Even though others say his soul will always be there, it may not be enough, and decisions like this can promote a higher separation between the capital and the rest of the country. 


The final decision was taken to the Portuguese Supreme Court, which, in January 2024, decided in favor of the transfer. 


In the end, Eça de Queiroz was transferred to Panteão Nacional. This took place on January 8th, 2025.



I end this letter by inviting you to read more about the life and the work of Eça de Queiroz and other Portuguese figures (some of them named in this email). Many of them are known by the general public. In particular, the literary figures are studied in school. Thus, I’m sure that showing knowledge and interest in them can be important in many of your conversations with Portuguese friends, neighbors, and other locals. 


Enjoy the readings, and have a lovely week!

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