During the 1999 East Timorese crisis, the building was destroyed by Aitarak, one of the pro-Indonesian militias. In 2001, the Council of the City of Lisbon financed its reconstruction. The building's exterior was rebuilt along the lines of the original design, but its interior was substantially modernised to house the Faculty of Education, Arts and Humanities of the National University of East Timor. , the Faculty was still located in the building.