It is the only National Monument that contains a Royal Palace, a Basilica, and a Convent and is located in the centre of the village of Mafra – in the square named after the monarch who ordered its construction.
Mafra’s stately National Palace and Monastery towers above the lovely countryside village of Mafra and is an excellent example of extravagant excess.
The Palace of Mafra, also known as the Palace-Convent of Mafra and the Royal Building of Mafra, is a massive Baroque and Neoclassical palace-monastery in Mafra, Portugal, approximately 28 kilometres from Lisbon. Under King John V of Portugal, construction began in 1717 and was completed in 1755.
There are about 40,000 m2 and 1200 rooms with unique settings and instruments throughout. This is the case with the Library, which houses a collection of over 36 thousand books; the bell set, which consists of two chimes with a total of 98 bells; and the six ancient organs, which returned to reverberate throughout the Basilica in 2010.
In addition to these distinguishing features, the Palace-Convent of Mafra has received a number of awards throughout the years. It was designated a National Monument in 1910, was a finalist in the 2007 election of the Seven Wonders of Portugal and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019.
The monastery, castle, cathedral, and basilica are all accessible by tour.
