The most beautiful palace, which resembles fairy-tale castles from children's books, is located in Portugal. Pena Pension is located in the middle of exotic vegetation. Like a lighthouse, it directs travelers to Sintra. It is a tiny yellow dot that can be seen from the outskirts of Lisbon and from the highway. A visit to the park and the National Palace of Pena will be a day trip to Sintra for a traveler.
The history of the palace began long ago, when in the 16th century King Manuel I ordered the construction of a monastery. Legend has it that he was hunting in the vicinity of the old chapel when he saw the arrival of Vasco da Gama's armada, returning from India. At that moment, thanking God for the main event of his life, he promised to build a monastery in the same place. It was a small monastery, in which no more than 18 monks lived.
On the day of the great earthquake, November 1755, 1834, the building suffered, suffered some damage, and was abandoned. For almost a century, the abandoned monastery fell into ruins, and in 1838 it eventually became part of the state property after the suppression of religious orders in Portugal. In XNUMX, it was sold, along with the surrounding lands, at public auction to a private owner, the Austrian royal Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who was passionate about art.
At first, the new owner decided to renovate the old building, turning it into a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family. He renovated the rooms where the monks lived. However, the size of the building would not be enough for a proper royal palace, so he decided to create a new wing (the New Palace).
The difference between the two wings can be seen from a distance, the red side is the old monastery and the yellow side is the New Palace. Considered one of the most romantic castles in the world, it combines old classical styles with new modern construction technologies, so the architectural art is a combination of neo-Gothic, neo-Manuline, neo-Moorish and neo-Renaissance influences, being a true masterpiece.
The amazing castle is located on the Sintra mountain and in the Pena Park. The Sintra mountain is magical. It is located on the northwest side of Lisbon. It is a strategic place that allowed to always control the surrounding area, from the ocean to the city of Lisbon, if the weather allowed. The Sintra region has its own microclimate, which provides all the elements necessary for the growth of several different types of flowers, plants and trees.
Pena Park is an amazing and unique park where you can easily spend a day just exploring it. Here are some interesting facts:
- The park has many species of vegetation from all over the world: from sequoia to cedar, from magnolias to exotic flowers. Thanks to the amazing microclimate, all plants take root perfectly.
- There is very little wildlife in the park, so it is almost always quiet. This is because the native Portuguese wildlife has not had time to adapt to the new vegetation. There are very few birds that feed on the seeds and flowers of the park.
- While you are exploring the park, you can reach the highest point of the mountain (528 meters), where you will find a high cross, a copy of the original 16th century, which was struck by lightning and had to be replaced. Next to this cross, you can find the Queen's throne, one of the most beautiful views of the palace. This name refers to the favorite place of Queen Amelia, where she loved to meditate or spend some time just looking at the palace.
- On the opposite side, another beautiful attraction of the estate can be found, the chalet of Countess Edla. Eliza Hensler, Countess Edla, became Ferdinand's second wife. On the western side of the estate, it was decided to create an idyllic space of picturesque character.
The entrance fee to the Pena Palace and Park is €14 for adults, €12,50 for children and seniors, but tickets can also be purchased online.
