Not only is the Fronteira Palace a national monument and the family residence of the Mascarenhas family, it is also the headquarters of the Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna, a private non-profit institution of Public Utility (DR II série nº 37 14/2/1991). In the fulfillment of its mission, the Foundation promotes the Humanities and Arts, the dissemination of values associated to cultural heritage and research related to the Fronteira Palace.
The Cultural Department of the Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna organizes a regular program of cultural activities and events available to the general public, which includes concerts, a book club, free courses on subjects linked to the Humanities and Arts, poetry recitals, conferences, and workshops. Over the years it has sponsored or hosted research projects in the areas of Decorative Arts, Architecture, Literary Studies, History, Genealogy, and Gardening.
The Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna supports the organization of scientific conferences and events on subjects linked to its mission. Support is given after evaluation of written proposals directed to the Coordinator of the Cultural Department’s e-mail: fcfa-cultura@fronteira-alorna.pt
The Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna is available to support research projects on subjects relating to its material and immaterial cultural heritage, according to its mission. Support is given after evaluation of written proposals directed to the Coordinator of the Cultural Department’s e-mail: fcfa-cultura@fronteira-alorna.pt
The Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna receives interns interested in training in the area of cultural tourism. The Foundation coordinates a program of extracurricular internships accessible through a yearly public contest for admission.
The Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna has established protocols of cooperation in this area with the Masters Program in Tourism and Communication of the University of Lisbon, as well as the Program Study in Portugal managed by the Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento (FLAD).
Documentary on internships at the Fronteira Palace:
A Fundação estabeleceu protocolos de colaboração para estágios curriculares com o Programa interuniversitário de Pós-Graduação em Estudos de Turismo e Comunicação da Universidade de Lisboa, e também com o Programa Study in Portugal gerido pela Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento.
For adults
The Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna organizes monthly “themed walks” on the iconography of the palace’s azulejos (Portuguese tiles) and on the writers who lived in the Fronteira Palace, conducted by specialists. These walks are announced in the periodical press and social media.
For children
In partnership with the firm COOLTURE TOURS the Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna hosts special visits destined to children and young adults. In Spring and Summer COOLTURE TOURS organizes “picnics with the Marchioness” a program for the younger public (pre-registration needed. Registration is made through the website https://www.coolturetours.com/en/about-coolture-tours/)
The Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna has a protocol of cooperation with the Municipality of Ponte de Sor to organize four Art Exhibits every year at the Centre for Arts and Culture of Ponte de Sor. These exhibits are curated by Isabel Vaz Lopes and the vernissages are preceded by a lecture of an invited speaker.
With the goal to increase the visibility of the supported publications and to ensure their quality before the international scientific community, acknowledging the good practices recognized in the editorial field, FCFA’s publications will respect the international regulations regarding the assurance of quality of the material to be published, have a digital format, be available freely on the internet, and stand by the following criteria and quality markers:
1 – FCFA only supports the publication of original texts that do not violate any third parties’ rights over the material presented for publication
2 – The scientific quality of each volume supported is ensured by a scientific commission of renowned specialists in the corresponding area of expertise that may be suggested by the publication proponents and that coordinates the peer reviewing tasks of the works to be published.
3 – If the proponents would prefer it, or in case of doubt, FCFA has a permanent Editorial Committee, formed by members of its Cultural Council, that can be used for said peer reviewing.
4 – The electronic publications supported by FCFA will have an ISBN/ISSN/Doi registration for electronic publications.
5 – The paper publications supported by FCFA will have an ISBN.
6 – The collective volumes supported by FCFA should respect the style norms adopted by this institution, in accordance with practices used internationally (annex I).
7 – FCFA commits to publishing the volumes it supports through its website, in an open access regime, in the maximum period of two years starting from the reception date of the complete originals.
In the long duration of History there were members of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna who distinguished themselves for their civic participation in politics, arts, and culture.
Dom José Trazimundo de Mascarenhas Barreto, 7th Marquis of Fronteira (1802-1881)
Dom João de Mascarenhas, 1st Marquis of Fronteira (1633-1681)
Dom Pedro Miguel de Almeida Portugal
(1688-1756)
Dona Leonor de Almeida Portugal, 4th Marchioness of Alorna (1750-1839)
The collection of portraits preserved in the Fronteira Palace is remarkable by its variety and quality. If it is true that Portuguese nobility did not invest in painting (as stated by historian Nuno Gonçalo Monteiro) this collection is a noteworthy exception.
The Foundation of the Houses of Fronteira and Alorna has created the collection Cadernos da Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna in order to publish the proceedings of conferences and research seminars organized with its support, as well as essays and documents related to the cultural heritage of the Foundation. These volumes can be acquired directly from the Foundation. From 2018 onwards these volumes will be published in e-book format.
Books published in the collection Cadernos da Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna:
ALMEIDA, Teresa Sousa de Aníbal Pinto de CASTRO, José Esteves PEREIRA, Maria Manuela DELLILE, (coords.) Alcipe e as Luzes, Lisboa, Edições Colibri – Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna, 2003 ISBN: 972-772-357-8
ANASTÁCIO, Vanda (coord.), Cartas de Lília e Tirse (1771-1777), Lisboa, Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna – Colibri, 2007 ISBN: 972-772-662-2; ISBN: 978-972-772-662-2
ANASTÁCIO, Vanda (coord.) Correspondências (usos da carta no século XVIII), Lisboa, Colibri – Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna, 2005 ISBN: 972-772-560-0.
COSTA, Carlos Couto Sequeira, Carlos João Correia, José Augusto França e Lévi António Malho, I Simpósio Nacional de Teoria Estética e Filosofias da Arte. Jogos de Estética, Jogos de Guerra, Lisboa, Edições Colibri – Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna, 2005. ISBN: 972-772-580-5.
SOUSA, Maria Leonor Machado de Marion EHRARDT, José Esteves PEREIRA (orgs.), Alcipe e a sua Época, Lisboa, Edições Colibri – Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna, 2003 ISBN: 972-772-356-X
VALE, Teresa Maria João FERREIRA, Pedro FLOR Portugal, a Europa e o Oriente, Lisboa, Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna, 2015 ISBN: 978-989-20-6029-3
VALE, Teresa Pedro FLOR, A escultura em Portugal, Lisboa, Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna, 2011 ISBN: 978-989-20-2684-8
VALE, Teresa e Maria João FERREIRA, Diplomacia e Transmissão Cultural, Lisboa, Fundação das Casas de Fronteira e Alorna e Althum, 2018, ISBN: 978-989-683-138-7