Villa Medieval

Parque Interlagos, São José dos Campos - State of São Paulo, Brazil, Brazil

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Villa Medieval is a unique medieval-style castle complex located in Torrão de Ouro II neighborhood (near Parque Interlagos) in São José dos Campos, São Paulo state, Brazil, at Estrada Bezerra de Menezes, 800.

The complex features two castels—a main castle of 4,800 square meters and a secondary castle of 1,700 square meters—together with 52 rooms including suites, a chapel, studio, wine cellar (adega), and a room recreating King Arthur's Round Table environment, all built in medieval architectural style over approximately two years.

The castles were envisioned and constructed by engineer Fernando de Mendonça, founder and first director of INPE (National Institute for Space Research), who will celebrate 100 years in 2024. Officially named Villa Medieval – Centro de Artes Suzana Laïs de Mendonça, the property was formerly used for cultural, artistic, musical, business, and leisure events but now operates primarily as a private residence and only hosts private events.

The location is somewhat hidden and isolated from the city center, surrounded by a large wall that conceals the castles from passersby, with the property situated on a large plot in a forested area in the southern region of São José dos Campos. The castle is currently closed to general public visitors, though there are plans to reopen as a Michelin-star restaurant under construction, with Mendonça training someone to eventually achieve Michelin recognition.