Portugal Archives and Libraries


 * Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm.
 * If you plan to visit a repository, contact them and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. Ask if they require you to have a reader’s ticket (a paper indicating you are a responsible researcher) to view the records, and ask how to obtain one.
 * Although the records you need may be in an archive or library, the Family History Library may have microfilmed and/or digitized copies of them.

National Archives
Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo Website Catalog Contact and Hours Alameda da Universidade 1649-010 Lisboa Phone: +351 210 037 100 Email: [mailto:dsieq@dglab.gov.pt dsieq@dglab.gov.pt]
 * Access to the Torre do Tombo is free for all persons over the age of 18.
 * In order to consult documents, individuals must have a form of identification and a reader card.
 * Once in the reading room, researchers can only request three documents at a time.
 * Consult the catalog before planning a trip to ensure the records you want are available at the archive.
 * The Torre do Tombo has a large online database, accessable at digitarq.arquivos.pt
 * Also contains pre-1822 sources for Brazil

General Directorate of Archives
Direção-Geral de Arquivos Website
 * Brings together information from all the archives of Portugal
 * Directs users to individual archives, and the database of digital images from all archives

Regional Archives
Conservatória do Registo Civil de Açores Website Catalog Contact Pç. Gonçalo Velho 12, 2º 9500-063 Ponta Delgada Phone: +351 296 302 170 Email: [mailto:crc.pd@dgrn.mj.pt crc.pd@dgrn.mj.pt] Arquivo Regional e Biblioteca Pública da Madeira Website Catalog Contact and Hours Caminho dos Álamos, n.º 35 Santo António 9020-064 Funchal Phone: +351 291 708 400 Email: [mailto:abm.sretc@madeira.gov.pt abm.sretc@madeira.gov.pt]

Church Archives

 * Sometimes, archive research is necessary to obtain a record that has not been digitized or request a clearer copy of a record found online or on microfilm. This can be done either through letter correspondence, email (sometimes), or researching in person. Please read Portugal Church Directories for contact information for dioceses and parishes.
 * Because all of the parish records containing genealogical data were moved to district archives, the staff at these archives will need to be contacted in order to obtain a copy of the desired record.
 * Many times, duplicate copies of birth, marriage, and death records were sent to a parish's dioceses. These institutions also store marriage impediments, and other documentation that may be useful in tracing a parish priest. You can find contact information for dioceses at the website Conferência Episcopal Portuguesa.
 * It is recommended that the archivist always be contacted before planning a visit to the archive. For help writing a letter requesting records or preparing for an actual visit, refer to Portuguese Letter Writing Guide.
 * In partnership with the FamilySearch, the Portuguese government is digitizing the parish records in their archives. Images are made available first at the District Archives, then on FamilySearch. To more easily access the parish records, links to the portal Tombo.pt have been provided to link researchers to the digital record collection at the Portuguese archive.

Access the records on the various websites as follows: The church records for the districts of Beja, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Faro, Guarda, Santarem, and Vila Real are stored at the district and the national archives. Both archives will need to be searched to be sure the records are available. Collections with an asterisk (*) are in the process of being indexed.
 * FamilySearch has browsable images that you navigate by clicking the Municipality and Civil Parish (Freguesia) where the person of interest lived, then select nascimento (birth), casamento (marriage), or obit (death) to browse for the specific record.
 * Tombo.pt links to the digital images on the district archives website. This includes records not available on FamilySearch. Use the sidebar on the left of the screen to select the Municipality and Civil Parish (Freguesia) where the person of interest lived, then select year range for nascimentos (births), casamentos (marriages), or obits (deaths) to browse for the specific record.
 * The District Archives provides two ways to access the records. There are links to access through the collection page and through searching the database.
 * Collection takes you to the archive’s digital collection. Navigate to the civil registration records by clicking the link for Parishes (paroquias). Not all municipalities have digitized their civil registration records, but those that have digital records will be listed. Click the link to online records (acesso em linha) to access the digital images. The districts of Braga, Bragança, Porto, Setúbal, and Viana do Castelo have not yet made their collection inventories digitally navigatable.
 * Database brings you to the search feature for the district archive. Search for a specific municipality by typing “paroquia de [the name of the parish]” and click search. Navigate the results to see any digitized parish records.

Military Archives
Arquivo Histórico Militar (Military History Archive) Website search Catalog Largo dos Caminhos de Ferro 1100-105 Lisboa Phone: +351 218 842 563/0 Email: [mailto:ahm@mail.exercito.pt ahm@mail.exercito.pt] Arquivo Geral do Exército (General Archive of the Army) Website Largo de Chelas (Old Convent) 1949-010 Lisbon Phone: +351 218 391 600 Biblioteca e Arquivo Central de Marinha (General Archive of the Navy) Website Praça do Império 1400 - 206 Lisboa Portugal Tel.: +351 213 658 520 Fax: 213658523 Email: [mailto:biblioteca.marinha@marinha.pt biblioteca.marinha@marinha.pt]
 * Contains pre-1822 sources for Brazil
 * Contains pre-1822 sources for Brazil

Historical Oversea Archive
Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino (Historical Oversea Archive) Website Calçada da Boa-Hora, nº 30 (Palácio de Ega) 1300-095 Lisboa Portugal Phone: +351 210 309 100 Email: [mailto:ahu@ahu.dglab.gov.pt ahu@ahu.dglab.gov.pt]
 * Contains pre-1822 sources for Brazil

Libraries
Biblioteca Nacional (National Library) Website Catalog Campo Grande 83 1749-081 Lisboa Portugal Telephone: +351 21 798 20 27 Fax: +351 21 798 21 38 Email: [mailto:bnref@bnportugal.pt bnref@bnportugal.pt] Biblioteca da Ajuda (Library of Assistance) Palácio da Ajuda Website 1349-021 Lisbon Portugal Telephone +351 21 363 85 92 E-mail: [mailto:ajuda.lib@ippar.pt ajuda.lib@ippar.pt]
 * Contains pre-1822 sources for Brazil
 * Contains pre-1822 sources for Brazil

Inventories and Guides
Most archives have publications that describe their collections and how to use them. Some are online. Others are in print. If possible, study these guides before you visit or use the records so you can use your time more effectively.

Family History Library

Several published guides for archives and libraries are listed in the Family History Library Catalog. To find them, use the Place Search in the catalog under:
 * Portugal - Archives and Libraries
 * Portugal, [District] - Archives and Libraries
 * Portugal, [District], [City] - Archives and Libraries

Websites
Archives Portal Europe provides access to information on archival material from Portugal as well as information on archival institutions throughout the European continent.

Portugal, Arquivos e Bibliotecas