Quartel do Carmo was the place where Marcelo Caetano (then the head of the regime in Portugal) found refuge on April 25th 1974. It was also the place where the Regime came to an end. And that day became forever known as the Carnation’s Revolution where the troops filled their shotguns with this particular flower. A historic moment for Lisbon, Portugal and Europe.
This year, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Revolution, Quartel do Carmo opened the doors of the museum with free entrances and free guided tours during the month of April. In english too. And last week we brought some of our english readers to this tour, promoted by the Commemorative Commission for the 50th Anniversary of April 25th.
April 25 of 1974: what happened?
Maybe you still haven’t heard about all that happened in this amazing and curious day: in the early hours of the 25th of April in the year 1974, the opposition troops of the MFA (Armed Forces Movement), led by a young Captain, Salgueiro Maia, surrounded the Government’s Headquarters at Terreiro do Paço. Marcelo Caetano and other ministers managed to escape by making a hole in the wall.
They found refuge at Quartel do Carmo, the headquarters of the GNR (National Republican Guard), altering the MFA’s plans, which then had to navigate the narrow streets of downtown Lisbon with their tanks.
The epicentre of the Revolution became then Largo do Carmo, quickly also occupied by civilians who, like the troops, demanded the surrender of the regime.
The National Republican Guard (GNR) declared a state of Strict Prevention.
They summoned all personnel and activated defence plans at the Carmo, where Marcelo Caetano had found refuge. The GNR’s efforts were aimed at efficiently and skillfully mediating the President’s defence while upholding mutual respect and camaraderie towards the insurgent troops.
The GNR adopted a passive and observant stance during moments of heightened tension, including the siege by Salgueiro Maia’s troops at Carmo, multiple ultimatums, and subsequent instances of gunfire. This approach facilitated Marcelo Caetano’s surrender and the peaceful transfer of power to General António Spinola in an orderly manner, without bloodshed.
The day people’s force made history at Quartel do Carmo
Everything went smoothly, amazingly so. After a little resistance, Marcelo Caetano was peacefully removed from Quartel do Carmo and taken into custody inside the Bula Chaimite tank. With the arrest, attention shifted away from the Carmo Headquarters, and the demonstrations spread across the city and throughout the country, marking the end of the Regime.
Quartel do Carmo became one of the symbols of the Revolution, the place where the Regime fell and freedom prevailed. On that day, the insurgent troops toppled the dictatorship that had ruled the country for 48 years.
The museum honours the GNR soldiers who stood at the frontline, holding the civils at Largo do Carmo, contributing directly to the institutional action process on that historic day.
Now, every year, at midnight on the 24th, people gather at Largo do Carmo to sing Grândola Vila Morena, the anthem of the Revolution, and kick-start the Revolution celebrations.
The GNR’s presence during the Regime
Quartel do Carmo is still functioning as the headquarters of the National Republican Guard (GNR) in Lisbon. In a partnership with the Commemorative Commission for the 50th Anniversary of April 25th, they opened the museum’s doors to the public to commemorate the Revolution’s anniversary and helped organise the guided tours.
The authoritarian rule initiated by the military dictatorship was solidified during the Estado Novo regime. This Regime promoted undemocratic, anti-parliamentarian, and anti-liberal policies, emphasizing a powerful, authoritarian, excessively nationalist, conservative, and austere State. The National Republican Guard played a pivotal role throughout the Regime’s 48-year leadership, preserving the status quo established by the military dictatorship as other security forces emerged.
The Estado Novo regime curtailed individual freedoms, enforced by the military and supported by censorship and a political police force. The State Surveillance and Defence Police (renamed PIDE in 1945) suppressed Regime opponents and the GNR, the Fiscal Guard, and other security forces collaborated in repressing political and labour disputes, managing border issues, countering opposition figures, and handling challenges such as draft evasion during the Colonial War and the academic crisis.
In September 1968, Salazar’s incapacity to govern led to Marcelo Caetano assuming leadership of the authoritarian Regime, sparking hope for change known as the “Primavera Marcelista” (Marcelist Spring). Caetano introduced reforms aimed at European integration, and promising relaxation of censorship and police repression (with PIDE renamed as DGS – Directorate General of Security). The GNR also saw advancements in career opportunities and personnel numbers.
However, Caetano’s reforms fell short of expectations from the Regime’s liberal faction and exceeded the tolerance of most conservatives, leading to conflict and the eventual decline of the Primavera Marcelista. The 1969 parliamentary elections dashed hopes for political change, plunging the country into instability. Student protests and worker strikes, suppressed by the GNR and other security forces, prompted Caetano to align more closely with the Regime’s conservative wing, diverging from his initial policies and people’s hopes.
Repression intensified with the closure of student associations, restrictions on labour laws, and the arrest of dissenters. The Regime faced increasing opposition to the Colonial War, eroding its support within the military, traditionally its main pillar — this’s where the plotting for a Revolution started within the military forces.
But the Museum of Quartel do Carmo doesn’t just focus on the history of April 25th. There you can learn more about the fall of the Monarchy in Portugal, the turbulent years of the First Republic (which had 45 different governments in 16 years), the military coup that led to the Estado Novo Regime and more. You can explore the entire history of the Republican Guard, journeying through the history of Portugal up to the present day.
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