Twenty kilometres from Lisbon is the small town of Sintra, rich in hills. On one of them stands the Pena Palace, reminiscent of castles from children's fairy tales. It holds the title of the country's national monument and is also on the list of Seven Wonders of Portugal.
History
There is a legend around the palace that the site was suggested by the Virgin Mary, who appeared in a vision to a monk. In the 16th century, the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Pena was built on this hill.
King Manuel I liked to visit this place and therefore decided to build a monastery next to the chapel. The building was dedicated to the king's heir, but the boy died at the age of 6. Only 18 monks lived here during the entire existence of the monastery. It served as a place for them to meditate, worship God, and be at peace. Unfortunately, the monastery could not survive: soon it was struck by lightning, and in 1755 an earthquake struck, which turned the remains of the monastery into ruins. Only the ancient chapel survived.
A century later, Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha visited the place. The view from the cliff and the atmosphere of seclusion appealed to him, so in 1838 the prince decided to buy the land together with the surrounding area of the Moors' fortress. On the site of the former monastery, the construction of a summer residence for the royal family of Portugal began, and the area around it was developed as a park.
German architect Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege was involved in the design of the palace throughout its construction. He created a sketch of the castle based on architectural styles from different countries, with Romanticism predominating. The result was an eclectic mix that combined:
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neo-Gothic;
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neo-Renaissance;
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manuelino;
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moorish style;
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pseudo-medieval elements;
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Islamic motifs.
Fernando II and his wife Maria II made changes to the building plan on more than one occasion. The couple actively participated in the decoration of the building and financed the project. The palace was completed in 1855. During this time, the royal couple had 12 children, with whom they periodically came to the summer residence. After the death of his wife Maria, Fernando married the opera singer Elisa Hensler.
Interior decoration continued until 1885, but Fernando II never saw the final result because he had died a few months earlier. The castle was inherited by his wife Elisa, who was forced to sell the estate to the state because she had lost her royal status after the death of her husband.
The new owner of Pena Palace was King Luis I, son of Maria II and Fernando II. He and his family often spent summer evenings here. The palace soon became the residence of Amelia of Orléans, the last Portuguese queen, and her husband Carlos I. In 1910, Amelia spent her last evening at the castle, after which she was forced to flee the country because of the Republican Revolution. At that time, the family finally abandoned the castle and it became a national monument in Portugal. Since then, the palace has been home to a museum, which can be visited by everyone.
Architecture
The King of Portugal was a romantic nature and loved art, so he wanted the palace to look eccentric. The architect himself was inspired by Ludwig II's Bavarian castle, which resembles Sleeping Beauty's castle. The influence of the Rhenish castles of Stolzenfels and Reinstein is noticeable: similar details began to decorate the Pehn Palace. Thanks to all this, the building's façade featured magnificent windows and vaulted arches, oriental domes and minarets, as well as Gothic-style towers.
The palace was not always so colourful - it was originally monochrome, as can be seen in old photographs. The castle was reconstructed in late 1994, after which the walls were painted in a palette of bright shades of red and yellow.
There are 4 main parts of the palace complex:
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fortress walls with two entrances, to which a drawbridge leads;
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palace area and a cylinder-shaped bastion;
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the former monastery building and clock tower;
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the courtyard opposite the chapel.
The entrance to the palace is reached by a bridge that ends at the Alhambra door. Through this door, visitors enter the inner terrace. Access to the living quarters is through the Arc de Triomphe.
A sculpture of a newt looms over the entrance gate. The beast sits on a seashell and coral, symbolising the four elements. Its gaze from the sidelines is terrifying. The archway leads to the Triton Tunnel, which leads to the Triton Terrace.
Another attraction of the castle is the 19th century clock tower. The sundial triggers a mechanism that fires a cannon shot at exactly noon.
Interior
The palace in Sintra has more than ten rooms that have preserved the decoration in its original form. The collection includes porcelain and ceramic table sets, antique furniture and painted stained glass windows. The interior of Pena Palace is decorated with elements of Victorian and Edwardian styles. There is a lot of wood panelling in each room, and the floor and walls are decorated with azulejo tiles.
The royal kitchen occupies the largest area among the rooms. There are three ovens in the room: two of them are preserved from ancient times and one has been restored. The design of the Smoking Room is inspired by the Mudehar style and the chandelier is created using floral motifs. The Hall of Knights, which was intended for banquets, has a table with Prince Ferdinand's coat of arms.
Sintra Park
The creation of the park began in 1840. Its main highlight is the combination of the incongruous: ornate paths, moss-covered benches, exotic greenery. The garden is laid out in such a way that it is permeated by narrow stone paths and flanked by romantic-style pavilions, pavilions and orangeries. The park resembles a system of mazes that must be traversed to enjoy the forest scenery.
By order of Fernando II, plants and trees were brought here from all over the world, even from the farthest corners. Now here nestle in close co-operation:
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New Zealand ferns;
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Japanese rhododendrons, camellias;
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North American magnolias, sequoias;
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Mediterranean cypresses;
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Chinese ginkgo biloba.
Amidst the dense vegetation of the castle, one can see the Valley of Lakes, a series of small artificial ponds. The surface of the lakes is decorated with lilies, and swans, geese, ducks and exotic fish swim in the water. Duck houses have become a trademark of the whole park zone. The most famous one stands in the centre of Lake St. Martin and is an octagonal two-storey building finished in stone and wood. The lower tier has several passageways for ducks, this is where they like to hide. The layer of moss covering the lodge creates an atmosphere of abandonment and naturalness.
One of the park paths leads to a statue of a bronze knight holding a shield with a sword in his hands. Walking higher, you can reach the highest point of Sintra, 528 metres above sea level. A cross stands at the top and the hill offers a picturesque view of the palace complex and Sintra.
Useful information
How to get there: the easiest way to get from Sintra city centre to Pena Palace is to take bus number 434, tickets cost €3.90. If you need to get to Sintra, you can take the tram - the route starts from Praia das Masanche and ends in the city centre.
Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00, during the summer season (28 March-30 October) - from 9:30 to 20:00.
Ticket prices in euros: for adults 18-64 years - 14, park only - 7,5. For children 6-17 years old - 12,5, park only - 6,5. For people over 65 years old - 12,5, park only - 6,5. Children under 5 are free.
