The construction of the old Episcopal Palace dates back to the end of the 18th century. It was started during the bishopric of D. José António Pinto de Mendonça Arrais (1782/1797).

In terms of architecture, we can characterize the building as a residential space, of Baroque influence, with a classicist trace. It has a quadrangular plan that develops around the inner courtyard.

With the extinction of the Diocese of Pinhel, in 1882, the building was acquired by the City Council that assigned it to functions different from the original ones. In 1888, the Infantry Regiment 24 was installed here, which would occupy the entire building and its fence until the end of the military barracks in Pinhel, in the 1930s.

After that, the building was partially occupied by different public services, such as the Library, having also hosted the GNR headquarters and the PSP post.

During this period, the first half of the 20th century, the study rooms, the seminarians’ rooms, the private chapel, the garden and the fountain that was supplied by water sources from the mines originating in the current Municipal Park of Trincheira were destroyed.

At the beginning of the second half of the twentieth century, the building is also occupied with the Colégio da Beira and, years later, with the Liceu, technical school and preparatory school that operated there until the mid-1980s of the last century.

After the transfer of schools to the new part of the city, the Municipality of Pinhel assigns the property to the Instituto de Apoio Socio-Educativo, of the Ministry of Education, which is subject to major engineering and architectural works with a view to installing a Student Residence.
With the extinction of this “residential” function, the property is once again owned by the Municipality of Pinhel, which uses it temporarily as the headquarters of the Falcão Municipal Company – Culture, Tourism and Leisure.