This relatively young castle is unlike any other structure in the world. Pena Palace is one of the TOP 20 most beautiful castles in Europe and, together with the other palaces of Sintra, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The castle is also considered one of the 7 wonders of Portugal.
Just below the complex, on the hills of the Sierra da Sintra mountain range, you can see the outlines of other palatial buildings and castles of Sintra, even lower in the valley – the small town itself, further-Lisbon, and on the horizon – the Atlantic Ocean. Such dizzying views are offered by the fabulous residence of the Portuguese kings from a wooded cliff above Sintra. The castle is located 450 meters above sea level, above it (528 m) only a cross on the neighboring peak.
And along the hill to the very foot of the palace stretches a wonderful park-garden. Here you can relax after a tour of the castle, in which you feel, at least, the hero of Disney cartoons: either a fairy-tale prince, or a sea pirate, on a short vacation looking for objects in the sea to apply their forces.
A bit of history
The area around the current Pena Castle in Sintra has long been a favorite of kings, who often made pilgrimages to the highest of the local hills. Back in the Middle Ages, when Portugal gained independence from the Kingdom of Aragon, the chapel of Our Lady of Pena appeared here, then in its place – a monastery in the Manueline style.
Its history is tragic: at first the building was significantly damaged by lightning, and a little later, during the earthquake of 1755, only ruins remained of the Hieronymite monastery. They remained intact for more than a century, until the ruling royal family bought the land in 1838. King Ferdinand II decided to build a summer residence in their place. In 1840, a park was laid out here, and then construction began.
What came of it, we can see after almost two centuries. Towers and arches, minarets and domes — oriental and Moorish styles, Renaissance and Gothic, interspersed with the same Manueline… And this is not all the styles mixed up and mixed up in this eclectic architectural tangle, which was revealed to the world by the German architect Ludwig von Eschwege. The result is a certain sample of romantic architecture of the XIX century with elements of the pseudo-Medieval period. The fascination with the exotic is typical of the Romantic era.
Of course, Ferdinand II and Maria II made their own contribution to the project, and much was done according to their wishes. The royal family funded the project and oversaw the construction work. Pena Castle in Portugal was built for 12 years. The royal couple had 12 children, and after the death of his wife (1853), Ferdinand married again in 1869 to the actress Elise Hensler, who was granted the title of Countess d’edla before the wedding.
Various works on the arrangement and continuous improvement of buildings and territory were carried out, without stopping for many years, until the death of Ferdinand in 1885.
Countess d’edla inherited the palace, but in 1889 it became the property of the state: the heiress sold it, yielding to the urgent requests of the new King of Portugal, Luis I.
After that, members of the royal family often visited here, and Pena Castle became the summer residence of the last Queen of Portugal, Amelie of Orleans. Here she lived with her children and her husband King Carlos I.
And in 1908, King Carlos and his eldest son Amelie (grandson of Ferdinand II) were killed by terrorists in the very center of the Portuguese capital. Two years later, during the revolution, the youngest son, King Manuel II, also lost the throne. The royal family left Portugal and their favorite residence-Pena Castle in Sintra.
The palace becomes a national museum (Palácio Nacional da Pena). All the interiors of the last royal dynasty have been preserved here.
In Sintra, there is another palace where the monarchs of Portugal lived. If possible, set aside time for its inspection.
Architecture of the palace
Bright, like a patchwork quilt, the colors of the castle walls: yellow, red, terracotta, brown and gray, which we see now in reality and replicated on various souvenir products appeared only a quarter of a century ago in 1994.
Previously, the palace was monochrome. But this did not detract from its architectural merits, it always looked impressive. Many photos of the Pena Palace in Portugal, taken from different angles, show how its walls and base rest on huge rocky boulders.
In the design of the palace, 4 main parts (areas)are clearly distinguished:
- Surrounding walls: they have two doors, one next to the drawbridge.
- Body of the castle: a former monastery, slightly sloping at the very top of the hill. There is also a clock tower with distinctive battlements.
- Courtyard: located opposite the chapel with arches in the wall. The arches are designed in neo-Moorish style.
- Actually the palace itself: a huge bastion in the form of a cylinder.
A ramp leads to the palace and ends at one of the doors of the circumferential wall-the Alhambra door. Through it, visitors get to the terrace, it is from here that a wonderful view of the famous High Cross is obtained. A Triumphal arch leads to the living quarters.
The door that leads to the center of the palace (cloutoir) is authentic, preserved from the XVI century. Spanish-Moorish tiles in this part of the castle are laid out on the floors and walls.
The Triton Arch (photo above) leads visitors to the Triton Tunnel and then to the Triton Terrace.
Views of the eastern part of the Pena Palace Park and photos of landscapes in good clear weather from this point are especially good.
And the pictures of the castle itself and the surrounding area are bright and colorful.
The clock tower and chapel are the restored remains of a medieval Hieronymite monastery.
If the time of the tour fell on a cloudy day and the castle is blown from all sides by winds, and the surrounding area is drowned in fog, then you also do not need to despair – a romantic atmosphere in the entourage of the architecture of the XVIII century is provided for you!
On the terrace, you can have lunch and, having refreshed yourself, continue the tour through the halls of the palace inside the bastion.
There are more than a dozen of them here. The basis of various collections: samples of antique furniture, collections of old branded porcelain and fine ceramics, artful stained glass windows made by famous masters, fancy chandeliers, and many other interior items of those times.
But the interiors themselves in almost all rooms are typically Portuguese: in each hall there is a lot of wood, and on the floor and walls azuleju tiles-tiles painted in a special technique measuring 14×14 cm.
The largest room in the palace is the royal kitchen (photo above). Two of the stoves on it are original, and the third is restored.
Authentic (XIX century) chandelier of the Smoking room is made using floral motifs.
Muhader-this is the name of the style used to decorate the ceiling and walls of the Smoking room. This is the first large room from which the construction of the bastion part of the palace began. The furniture was brought in the 40s of the last century from India.
Apartments of King Carlos I, equipped in the former house of the abbot of the Hieronymite monastery.
Queen Amelie’s chambers are on the upper floors of the palace.
The great hall was first used for receiving ambassadors, and then it was adapted as a billiard room.
The lace ceilings of the palace halls are admirable.
Banquet hall (Hall of Knights).
Authentic copper dishes are marked with the original palace markings, and porcelain table sets are embossed with the coat of arms of Ferdinand II.
On the territory of the castle, various thematic exhibitions of collections from the museum’s storerooms are often held. The price of a ticket to visit the Pena Palace from Sintra (Portugal)also includes viewing their exhibition.
The President of the Portuguese Republic and other government officials sometimes use the Pena National Palace for receptions of foreign delegations.
Park
The best view of the palace opens from the park from the statue of the King-organizer of the castle Ferdinand II. To get there, you need to climb up the boulders. Of course, shoes and clothing should be comfortable and safe.
According to the wishes of Ferdinand II, the park at the foot of Pena Castle is designed as a romantic garden of those times. There are many stone gazebos and stone benches throughout the property. Winding paths lead to each of them. Rare species of trees from different countries of the world and the most exotic plants are planted and grow throughout Pena Park. The local climate allowed them to acclimatize quite easily and settle down forever.
Go around a huge forest area of 250 hectares at a time (and this is about 120 football fields!) no one can do it. And in truth, many tourists admit that after seeing the palace from the outside and from the inside, there is almost no energy left for the park. So for those who are interested in botany and landscape park architecture, it makes sense to allocate a separate day for its inspection.
Here you will find everything: waterfalls, ponds and ponds, fountains and lakes. The water system of the entire park is interconnected, and a variety of architectural and decorative objects are scattered around its perimeter. Many interesting viewpoints of the park around the Pena Palace are reflected on the map, which is best to take with you on this mini-trip.
At the entrance to the park there are two pavilions and behind them begins the garden of Queen Amelie. You can go to the dovecote to see the 3D model of Sintra displayed here.
Walk through the alleys of the Camellia Garden and see the Royal Valley of Ferns.
They are not local varieties, but Australian and from New Zealand, but they have taken root well, because before they were cultivated here, they were acclimatized in the Azores.
How to get there from Lisbon
Several trains per hour (CP line) depart from the stations:
- Oriente
- Rossio
- Entrecampos
Travel time to Sintra is from 40 minutes to 1 hour, the fare is 2.25 euros (website www.cp.pt Continue from the railway station by Scotturb bus No. 434 for 3 euros (5.5 euros round trip). The distance to the palace complex is 3.5 km, the road goes steeply uphill.
By car: you need to go to the IC19 highway. Navigation coordinates of the Pena Palace in Sintra: 38 ° 47 ‘16.45″ N 9 ° 23’ 15.35 ” W.
If you are already in the historic center of Sintra and prefer to take a leisurely stroll through its palaces and parks, then this complex can be accessed by hiking trails:
- From the Moorish Palace (Percurso de Santa Maria), covering 1,770 meters in about an hour
- Percurso da Lapa can be reached in 1450 meters in 45 minutes at a quiet pace.
Ticket price and time of visit
The Pena Castle garden and architectural complex in Sintra (Portugal) operates according to the following schedule during the summer season from March 28 to October 30::
- Palace from 9: 30 to 19: 00
- Park from 9: 30 to 20: 00
In low season, the operating mode is as follows::
- The palace is open from 10: 00 to 18: 00
- The park can be visited from 10: 00 to 18: 00
The ticket office stops selling tickets to the palace exactly one hour before closing, and the entrance to the territory of the attraction closes 30 minutes before the end of work.
There is an opportunity to buy tickets for viewing individual objects and combined ones. The price is indicated in euros.
| Ticket | Palace and Park | Park |
|---|---|---|
| For 1 adult from 18 to 64 years old | 14 | 7,5 |
| For children aged 6-17 years | 12,5 | 6,6 |
| For people 65 years and older | 12,5 | 6,5 |
| Family friendly (2 adults + 2 children) | 49 | 26 |
With the end of the main tourist season, the cost of entrance tickets usually decreases. Specific ticket prices and schedule changes before the start of the winter season can be found on the website of the Pena Palace in Sintra (www.parquesdesintra.pt).
It is possible to hire a personal guide on site, the price starts from 5 euros depending on the duration of the tour. Guided tours are available in Portuguese, English or Spanish.
In Lisbon, you can also buy a day trip to the Pena Palace for about 80-85 euros (a children’s ticket is half the price). It is very rich and includes guide services, travel and meals.
A distinctive feature of this museum complex from other museums both in Portugal and in many European countries is that it is allowed to shoot the internal museum exposition. Therefore, all tourists who have visited Portugal do not miss the opportunity to take photos of the decoration of Pena Castle, and many even make a video. We offer you one of them.
Sintra has always inspired poets and bewitched kings. Be sure to go there and visit the Pena Palace — this fantastic and eclectic monument of the Romantic era. This is one of the most visited architectural monuments in Portugal.
Mafra Palace – the largest residence of kings in Portugal
