Royal Destinations - Pena Palace - Sintra - Portugal

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On the top of a hill in the Sintra Mountains, above the town of Sintra, a
real national Portuguese monument certainly is worth a visit:
Pena Palace.

Pena Palace - Sintra - Portugal - own picture taken in 2017


This Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven
Wonders of Portugal. 

Nowadays it is used for state occasions by the President of the
Portuguese Republic and other government officials.

The Pena Palace is open for visitors. See more on next link. 

Pena Palace entrance


Some history

The history of the Pena Palace started in the Middle Ages when a chapel 
dedicated to Our Lady of Pena was built on the top of the hill above Sintra.

Soon there was a Royal Connection. In 1493, King John II of Portugal
and his wife, Queen Leonor, made a pilgrimage to the site to fulfill a vow.

His successor, King Manuel I, also was very fond of this place, he ordered
the construction of a monastery, which was donated to the Order of Saint
Jerome. 

In the 18th. century this monastery was damaged by lightning and the
Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1455 reduced it to ruins.

Pena Palace - Lots of tourists


For many decades the ruins remained untouched till the young prince
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (a nephew of Queen Victoria of the
United Kingdom, her husband Prince Albert and King Leopold II of Belgium) 
married Queen Maria II of Portugal. 

King Ferdinand II of Portugal - taken at the Pena Palace

He acquired the old monastery and the surrounding lands. He ordered to
turn this place in a summer residence for the Portuguese Royal Family.

Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege, a German amateur architect, 
was much traveled and he would have had acknowledge of several
castles along the Rhine river, rebuilt the castle.

Pena Palace bedroom

Pena Palace - kitchen

This construction took place between 1842 and 1854.After the death
of King Ferdinand II, the palace went over to his second wife,
Elise Hensler, Countess of Elda. Later the palace was sold to
King Luis. 

In 1889 it was purchased by the Portuguese state and after the
Republican Revolution of 1910, it was transformed into a museum.

It was here that the last Queen of Portugal, Queen Amalia, spent 
her last night at the palace before leaving the country in exile.

Style

The Pena Palace really is special and unique, due to its mix of 
styles and colors. 

Pena Palace amazing colors and amazing tourists 

The Pena Palace is one of the most beautiful palaces I ever visited due to
its mix of colors, its history and its location. 
Location: Sintra, Portugal

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