The Cultural Landscape of Sintra was classified by UNESCO in 1995 as a World Heritage Site. It encompasses some of Portugal’s most important parks and monuments. Sintra is situated near to the coast, on the north slopes of the granite Serra, among wooded ravines, hills and springs. It is a famous building place for summer palaces of kings and rulers. The slideshows included two of the most popular palaces in Sintra – the National Palace and the Pena Palace. The National Palaces is distinguished by its two huge conical shaped chimneys. It was founded before the country of Portugal, in the medieval period. On the other hand the Pena Palace is one of the last palaces built in the 19C. The palace is painted with its eccentric red and yellow colours and filled traditional Portuguese decorations, as well as the Art Nouveau pieces, the fashion of its days. King Ferdinand appointed a German architect Baron Von Eschwege to build his summer palace. The Pena Palace echoes the equally enchanted theatrical palace of Neuschwanstein in Bavaria.

1. Palaces of Sintra
First created 21 Jan 2019. Version 1.0 - 20 Feb 2019. Daperro. London.
The Fairy castle of Pena Palace, Sintra.
The Fairy Palaces of Portuguese Riviera

2. Circular Bus Map of Sintra
Sintra is just over an hour on a sub-urban from Lisbon train station. The map above shows various tourist sites on
offer around the town.

3. 8C Moorish Castle of Sintra
The town of Sintra is situated on the hillside not far from the sea. With its sea breeze and cool & shady
woods. It has also been a favourite place for the castle and palace builders of royalty, even before the
time of Portugal. Two of the best palaces are the National Palace of Sintra and Pena palaces.

4. National Palace of Sintra

5. National Palace of Sintra - Entrance
The front entrance to the palace.

6. National Palace of Sintra – Manueline framed windows.
The Manueline Architecture
flourished in the reign of Manuel I
and continued. It is the traditional
Portuguese architecture style. Its
elaborate motifs were inspired by
the Portuguese marine tradition,
with stylised cables, ropes, coral
encrusted masts etc.
Windows on the façade of the
National Palace, Sintra.

7. National Palace of Sintra – The Swan Room
The Swan Room above the main entrance is the largest function room in the palace. It was the
marriage venue for Isabel to the French Duque of Burgundy (Philip the Good) in 1430.

8. National Palace of Sintra – The Swan Room
One of the panel in the Swan Room (Sala dos Cisnes).

9. National Palace of Sintra – The Patio Courtyard
The Central Patio Courtyard next to the Swan Room.

10. The Central Patio with the Water Grotto and the Twisted Column Fountain.
National Palace of Sintra – The Patio Courtyard

11. National Palace of Sintra – The Magpie Room
The tiles of the room.
Magpie is the emblem of Houses of
Lancaster of Philippa, who was the
Queen consort of Portugal, married to
King John I, in 1387. The marriage was
the final step in the Anglo-Portuguese
Alliance, which is still in force today.

12. National Palace of Sintra – The Magpie Room
The room is lay out as a dining room

13. National Palace of Sintra – The Magpie Room
The tiling above the fireplace.

14. National Palace of Sintra – King’s bedroom
King Sebastiao’s room.

15. National Palace of Sintra – Statue on the wall

16. National Palace of Sintra – Mermaid Room
The tiled wall of the Mermaid Room.

17. National Palace of Sintra – Mermaid Room
The ceiling of the Mermaid Room.

18. Heraldry Room, National Palace of Sintra

19. Heraldry Room, National Palace of Sintra
The panel ceiling of the Heraldry Room.

20. Heraldry Room, National Palace of Sintra
The wall of the Heraldry Room is covered by Azulejos.

21. Heraldry Room, National Palace of Sintra
A panel of hunting scenes of Azulejos.

22. Chapel Ceiling, National Palace of Sintra

23. Arab Room, National Palace of Sintra
The National Palace of Sintra was once a Moorish Palace.

24. Guest Room, National Palace of Sintra

25. Kitchen, National Palace of Sintra

26. Manueline Hall, National Palace of Sintra

27. Central Patio, National Palace of Sintra
The twisted fountain with the king’s coat-of-arms.

28. Preta garden, National Palace of Sintra

29. Pena Palace - Sintra
Credit : Singa Hitam, Wikipedia.
Unlike the medieval National Palace, Pena palace was built only in the 19C. It the finest example of the
Portuguese Romanticism. It also has a huge part and it is a World Heritage site.

30. Pena Palace - Ferdinand II
The Pena Palace was built by Ferdinand II as the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family.

31. Pena Palace, Entrance
The palace can be divided into four functional parts. The photo shows the main palace, the yellow and
red buildings, where most of the official functions took place. The main façade, part which is visible on the
photo, the Triton Arch and the Ballroom.

32. Pena Palace - Entrance Arch
View at the entrance gate, with the king’s coats of arms on the tower wall.

33. Pena Palace- King & Queen Apartment
The red and yellow buildings of the king and queen residence and office.

34. Pena Palace - Triton Arch & Ball Room Buildings
The main façade, the Triton Arch on the right and the Ballroom further along, is covered with tiles. The
large round tower houses the king’s bedroom. The Belvedere building with its room visible is the service and servant
quarter.

35. Pena Palace - Triton Arch & Ball Room Tiles
Portugal is well-known for its ceramic tiles. It is often used to cover the external walls.

36. Pena Palace - Towers on the Triton Arch
The twin towers of the Triton Arch.

37. Pena Palace – Triton carving on the Arch
The Triton Arch is covered by this distinctive carving.

38. Pena Palace – Triton carving on the Arch
The Triton is a demigod, half man and half fish or a merman. He is the son of Poseidon, the sea god.

39. Pena Palace - King Bedroom Building
The round tower house the king’s bedroom.

40. Pena Palace - Towers on Belvedere Building
The mock Moorish guard tower.

41. Pena Palace – Manueline Cloisters
With the heart of the main palace is the Manueline Cloisters, which is an enclosed patio. It is
shaded and allows cooler air to circulate.

42. Pena Palace – Manueline Cloisters
Carving on the wall of the Manueline Cloister.

43. Fountain at the Manueline Cloisters, a bit of Moorish influence. Pena Palace. Sintra.
Pena Palace – Manueline Cloisters

44. Pena Palace – King Ferdinard II Study
The king’s study also served as his office.

45. Pena Palace – King Ferdinand II Study
The Stucco ceiling of King Ferdinand II’s Study.

46. Pena Palace – The Queen’s Terrace
The Queen’s terrace to enjoy the view of the royal park.

47. Pena Palace – Arabic Room
The Arabic used as a sitting room for the king and queen for meeting visitors. It is filled with traditional Portuguese
decorations, such as twists, tremido motifs and bobbin turning.

48. Pena Palace – Great Hall
The Great Hall is the centre of the palace. It is lavishly decorated with stucco. One of the more noticeable feature are the
standing lampposts with statures of moors wearing turbans

49. Pena Palace – The Kitchen
A big kitchen equiped for banquets.

50. Pena Palace Garden – Play Castle
A play castle in the middle of a pond with water fowls.

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Available free for non-commercial and personal use.
The
End
Music – Sailing from Gentle Mood
An unusual cabinet decorated with green ceramic panels, at the Pena Palace

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