National Palace of Sintra (Palacio Nacional da Sin Reviews (Lisbon, Portugal)

Palace of Portugal's Medieval Monarchs

Manchester, United Kingdom

March 22, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo The most historic site in Sintra is slap bang in the heart of Sintra-Vila, and an easy walk from the train station. This is the Palacio Nacional, a royal palace belonging to the kings and queens of Portugal since the expulsion of Moors in the 12th ...Read more The most historic site in Sintra is slap bang in the heart of Sintra-Vila, and an easy walk from the train station. This is the Palacio Nacional, a royal palace belonging to the kings and queens of Portugal since the expulsion of Moors in the 12th century up until the abolition of the monarchy in 1910. It has been state-owened for the last hundred years, and restored to its medieval appearance. A visit allows to see the living arrangements of those great monarchs of the age of exploration.

The Palace is very much the emblem of the town, with its white walls, red tiled roof and towering matched pair of conical kitchen chimneys. Intriguing glimpses were provided as we wound up the road from the station. Today it is fronted by a small praça and a fountain. Tickets are obtained from within the gift shop to the left. Visitors still need a ticket even if – as we did - they come on a Sunday, when admittance is free before 2pm.

Most of what we saw inside dated from the late 13th to early 16th centuries. Mediterranean-style architecture was combined with Moorish / Mudejar influences (tiling, ogee arches and fountains) and even a spot of early ornately Manueline decoration. A complicated route twined back and forth through grand chambers with their impressive decoration and one or two hefty pieces of period furniture. The development of a unique indigenous style of tiling could be seen. The earlier rooms had small mosaic-like tiles in very much the Moorish tradition – such as in the so-called Sala dos Árabes, a plain chamber kept cool by a low central fountain, similar to those I had seen throughout the Islamic world, from Marrakesh to Cairo, Damascus to Istanbul. Later ones used larger painted tiles, such as the 17th century azulejo hunting scenes in the Sala dos Brasões – tiles were by then the material used to carry decoration rather than being the decoration themselves.

A lot of the surviving period decoration was over our heads – literally. The arched wooden ceilings bore painted images of swans in one room, ships in another. In the Salas das Pegas the ceiling is covered with painted magpies, each with a speech bubble coming from its beak saying "por bene" ("for the best"). This was the motto of Dom João. Legend has it that he he resignedly stated that maybe it was indeed for the best when he was caught in a clinch with a lady-in-waiting by his queen, Philippa of Lancaster. He devised the ceiling’s decoration to remind him of his foolishness (and to subtly lampoon the ladies of the court as gossiping magpies). And the lofty Sala dos Brasões shows the coats of arms of 78 major Portuguese noble families borne by stags.

What really appealed to me however, were the magnificent views. Gothic or mudejar windows look out onto pretty inner courtyards or fancy gardens, and thence over the low land all the way to the Atlantic coast. They really are quite amazing vistas. These views must have been the been the best thing about this cool palace: turned away from the sprawl, noise and chaos of Lisbon the medieval kings must have been able to gaze like Olympians down over what seemed from this distance a pleasant, prosperous and well-ordered land.

Exit is through the kitchen, the great hollow cones of the underneath of the chimneys soaring up above. Looking at the fireplaces, stoves and spits I found myself wondering at the size of feast that could have been catered for here – and how many servants it would take to cook it up and dish it out.

Historically, the Palacio Nacional is the most important building in Sintra. This was home to the Portuguese monarchy from the reconquest, through the years of the ‘Illustrious Generation’, and saw the first flourishings of the Golden Age of Discoveries. In the space of three centuries the Portuguese kings turned from warriors freeing their homeland from the occupation of foreign powers to expansionist traders and colonisers, and they left their mark upon this palace.

It is not, however, the most interesting palace in Sintra, as I was to discover…
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From journal Under The Spell Of Sintra

National Palace of Sintra (Palacio Nacional da Sin

by roza4

Cinnaminson, New Jersey

November 7, 2004

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Best of IgoUgo Phone: 351 21 910 6840 Open: Tue-Thurs, 10am–5:30pm; closed Wednesdays Free on Sundays, 10am–1pm No pictures allowed If you are in Lisbon, you have to visit nearby Sintra, with an unforgettable Palace of Sintra. The palace’s façade, with ...Read more Phone: 351 21 910 6840
Open: Tue-Thurs, 10am–5:30pm; closed Wednesdays
Free on Sundays, 10am–1pm
No pictures allowed

If you are in Lisbon, you have to visit nearby Sintra, with an unforgettable Palace of Sintra. The palace’s façade, with Manueline arches and bottle-like chimneys, is very distinctive, and you can’t possibly miss it. The palace is on the hill, and the parking in front of the palace is very small, so you may have to park in the street, and finding a spot is a challenge. You may have to walk a good distance from your car. You can also come to Sintra by train – exit at the station "Sintra" on the Sintra line.

The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site. After standing in line to get up the stairs along the green tiled staircase, you finally get into the palace, and you understand why. The palace was built in the 14th century and is the only palace in all of Portugal remaining from the Middle Ages. You can still see the rooms on the top floor from the 14th century, which were once occupied by King Dinis. During the reign of King Joao I (late 14th century), Joao added kitchens with the famous bottle-like chimneys. In the 16th century, king Manuel I added a whole wing with rooms decorated in the characteristic Manueline style, which now is obviously called the Manueline wing. Also, all the rooms in the palace at that time were redecorated with Mudejar-style tiles, which you can see during your visit to the palace.

The visit to the palace starts with the Swan Hall, named so because of the swan fresco panels on the ceiling. It used to be Main Hall in the times of Joao I, and all the royal entertainment took place here. There are also patios with beautiful water grottoes and fountains, and the Magpie Room, with the frescoes of these birds on the ceiling and green and blue, sun-like azulejos on the walls and surrounding the fireplace. You can also see several more rooms from the same period, including the Galleon Room, with frescoes of ships, until at last, you make your way to the Coat-of-Arms Hall (1495-1521), which is by far the most impressive room in the palace. It has gilded woodwork on a domed ceiling, crowned by the royal coat of arms, surrounded by coats of arms of 72 noble families. The walls are covered by 17-18th century frescoes and azulejos of hunting scenes. There are also a Chinese room with models of pagodas, an amazing Palatine chapel, built by King Dinis and redecorated by King Manuel I, with white doves on pink walls and a gorgeous mudejar ceiling, an Arab room (Manuel’s bedroom), a guest room (Manuel’s oratory), and of course, the kitchen itself, with the bottle-like chimneys and copper pots and pans, and the Manueline Room, with an enormous crystal chandelier. All the furniture, paintings, tapestries, and ceramics in the palace were once part of royal family collections.

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From journal Travels in Portugal-The best of Lisbon: Part Four

Sintra Castle

by fosse

Paris, France

May 30, 2004

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This is a very original castle in its geographical location, its architecture, and its furnishings. When there, you always hesitate if you're in a fairy tale, a medieval castle, or a sultan's castle. . .

From journal Weekend trip to Lisbon

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