Palace Pena

The other major sight in Sintra was the Palace Pena, which stands in the Sintra Mountains above the town. On a clear day it can be easily seen from Lisbon. It is one of the major expressions of 19th-century Romanticism in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. 

We’d previously reserved tickets for the Regelaria and Palace Pena, the two sights we wanted to see. Unfortunately, the weather was cold and rainy. But the rain was intermittent, so we were able to dodge some of it. We’d also come dressed for the weather – umbrellas, layers, raincoat, and gloves.

 

The palace was quite high up on a hill, so we Ubered to the grounds and then used the transfer to get to the entrance. It took about 30 minutes to get from the bottom to the top.

Bust of King Fernando II. The palace was his official residence until his death.

It rained heavily in Sintra that day. Here you can see the next storm moving in.

The Regaleira

The Regaleria is a palace and park that features lakes, grottoes, wells, benches, fountains, and other unusual constructions and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's also known as "The Palace of Monteiro the Millionaire," which is based on the nickname of its best known former owner, António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. The palace was designed by the Italian architect Luigi Manini.

Luis Manini, architect

 

Descending to one of the Initiation Wells (also called initiatic wells or inverted towers). They resemble underground towers lined with stairs. 

These wells never served as water sources. Instead, they were supposedly used for ceremonial purposes.

Carvalho Monteiro, a Free Mason, had the well built for spiritual reasons. It was designed to represent the nine circles of Dante’s Inferno. At the very bottom of the well is a circular floor, decorated with colored tiles. These tiles depict the cross of the Knights Templar, a symbol exclusive to Free Masons.

Some of the many grottoes near the well.

The Chapel:

Next, we went into the palace. A few of the rooms:

Later, we had a much-needed lunch at the cafe.