An Amazing Royal Destination: The Town Hall of Sintra, Portugal

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Town Hall of Sintra, Porugal, own picture

The hilly and slightly cooler climate of Sintra attracted many nobles in the 19th century to build their houses there. One of the most important families was of course the royal family of Portugal which were mostly members of the House of Braganza and later of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

The 19th century was a decade full of changing. The official opening of the  Lisbon-Sintra railway line in 1889 had a major effect on Sintra. It led to the building of a new district which was called Estefânia in honour of Queen Stephanie of Hohenzolleren-Sigmaringen, wife of King Pedro V of Portugal.

Queen Stephanie of Hohenzolleren was the sister of inter alia Princess Marie of Hohenzolleren-Sigmaringen, countess of Flanders. Princess Marie was the mother of King Albert I of Belgium. 



Pedro V and his wife
Source picture: Wikipedia


A place was chosen for the construction of the new Municipal Offices in Sintra. Finally it was built between two districts the older Villa Velha and the new one: Estefânia.

The building works of the Town Hall began in 1906, it was designed by Adães Bermudes and completed in 1909.

The Town Hall had austere facades with neo-Manueline windows. The facade also contains an imposing battlement topped tower and a pyramidal tile covering which represented the Cross of Crist and the Portuguese Shield.

Town Hall of Sintra, Portugal - own picture 


Sintra and its Town Hall are easily reachable by train from Lisbon. This amazing Town Hall which looked like another castle is located not far from the railway station of Sintra.

State visit

 Between 26 and 31 July 1959 Emperor Haile Selassie from Ethiopia visited Portugal. He and his delegation made a stop in Sintra.


Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia till 1974
Source picture: Wikipedia



Location: Sintra, Portugal

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