Sintra: Palácio Nacional da Pena
Sintra is one of the most popular places in Portugal and is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It is also one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. This castle (or palace…what is the difference as these seem to be used interchangeably when applied to this place) was built on the top of the hill in the Sintra Mountains, called The Pena Palace, The castle was built on the site of a medieval chapel dedicated to the local Virgin Mary call “Our Lady of Pena.” This site gained religious importance after a reporting of the apparition of the Virgin Mary. The chapel to honor the Virgin was built on the top of the hill and many people pilgrimaged there. In 1493, the site had two more special visitors; King John II of Portugal and his wife Queen Leonor climbed up the mountain to honor their patron.
When the king saw the magnificence of this place he decided to found a sanctuary there, and ordered for the building of a monastery - which was donated to the Order of Saint Jerome. Until the 18th century it was just a small structure which housed about 18 monks and it was seen as one of the most mysterious places in Portugal. The monastery was greatly damaged by the 1755 earthquake and finally abandoned in 1834.
The remodelling of the old monastery (red buildings) began in 1840 and, around 1845, Ferdinand extended it by building another complex (yellow buildings) which was known as the "New Palace" inspired by the palaces and castles of Bavaria.
The German architect Baron von Eschwege was in charge of the remodelling and the new construction. It became the summer residence of the Royal family. Under his explicit command, the monastery was painted in red and the new building in yellow.
In 1994 the original colours, which disappeared with time, red for the former monastery and yellow for the new palace were restored.
(***this 1st picture is for you to see the palace in all it’s glory, it is NOT my picture. Sadly I do not have a drone yet wanted to share the view in its totality of which it was impossible to capture from on the ground. All other pictures are mine.)
I took this picture from the Moorish Castle. (see previous post). I hiked there first before continuing my hike to Palácio Nacional da Pena.
