Sintra, Portugal
This magnificent Portuguese palace appears to be a mash-up of many castles.
“For any proud Portuguese & curious foreigner, a visit to Pena Palace is a must”
The Pena National Palace, located on a lush hill in São Pedro de Penaferrim, Portugal, is a prominent national monument that appears to have been formed by combining towers, facades, and architectural flourishes from a variety of various castles.
The palace, built in the nineteenth century by King Ferdinand II, was intended to serve as a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family. Ferdinand’s extravagant preferences were pressed on the builders and designers, resulting in a schizophrenic mansion that appeared to satisfy any and all of the king’s transitory desires from the outside. A section would be fashioned after a mediaeval European castle with beautiful parapets, while the next section would be modelled after an Islamic tower dome. Each part of the facade is also coloured differently; a long purple wing is flanked by a red clock tower and a yellow minaret, for example. It is today regarded as a magnificent example of Romantic architecture.
The palace’s interior was no less magnificent or diverse. Numerous rooms have been built to represent a particular cultural influence, ranging from Middle Eastern to European Baroque styles.
When Portugal’s royal family departed the country following the 1910 Revolution, the palace and its gardens fell into ruin. However, the complex was restored in the latter part of the twentieth century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The palace is now open to any person willing to make the walk, which is well worth it given that visitors get to explore a whole universe of architecture in one stop.
Estrada da Pena
Sintra, 2710-609
Portugal
GPS 38.7876, -9.3906
