Page 104 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

Palace of Pena, Sintra
102 EUROPE

On the highest peaks of the Serra de Sintra stands the spectacular
Palace of Pena. This eclectic medley of architectural styles w as built
in the 19th century for the husband of the young Queen Maria II
PORTUGA L (r. 1834- 53), Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha- King Dom
ATLANTIC Fernando II of Portugal. It stands over the ruins of a
OCEAN
PAlACE OF PENA.
SINTRA Hieronymite monastery founded here in the 15th century
SPAIN
• Usllon on the site of the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Pena. The
outlandish rooms of the enchanting summer palace are
filled with oddities from all over the world. The monarchy
was overthrown in 1910 and w ith the declaration of the
Republic, the palace became a museum, preserved as it
BARON VON ESCHWEGE
In 1839, Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was when the royal family lived here.
acquired the well-positioned land of a former
monastery and appointed the German architect
!;il Manuelll's Bedroom
Baron von Eschwege (1777- 1855) to construct FERDINAND: KING CONSORT This oval-shaped room is
a fabulous summer palace. Von Eschwege Ferdinand was known in Portugal as "the decorated with green walls
turned the king's extravagant dreams into artist king." Uke his cousin Albert, who and a stuccoed ceiling. A
married Britain's Queen Victoria, he loved portrait of Manuel II, the
reality and, over the following decade, he
nature, art, and the new inventions of the last king of Portugal, hangs
erected a fantasy palace around the restored time. Ferdinand enthusiastically adopted above the fireplace.
ruins of the monastery On a nearby crag is the his new country and devoted his li fe to
statue of a warrior-knight that supposedly the arts. In 1869, 16 years a tter the death
of Maria II, Ferdinand married his mistress,
guards the palace. It IS an enormous stone
the opera singer Countess Edla. His lifelong
sculpture whose base bears an engraving of dream of building the palace at Pena was
the baron's coat of arms realized in 1885, the year he died.
THE PALACE'S DESIGN
Ferdinand's pasSion for the arts, and for 1
, , • • • • • • • '
Kitchen ~ • • •
sdentffic progress, resuted 1n an edectic mix of
Copper pots and
archltectiJal styles that 1nduded Gothic (Gothic utensils still hang
Styfe, seep. 54), Renassance (Renaissance Style, around the iron stove
here. A dinner service
see p. 131) and elements of the rich, indigenous
bears the coat of arms
Portugeuse style, M anueli ne Painted in shades of Ferdinand II.
of pink, blue, and yellow, the exterior of the
building is lavishly carved or covered \IIIith
azuleyo tile arrangements, with go I den domes,
crenellated turrets, and gargoyles. Inside the
pal ace, highlights include the Renaissance
retabl e by sculptor Nicolau C hantere ne (chapel Ferdinand
altarpiece) and the exotic furniture, which
contribute to the prevailing air of decadence.

ROMANllCISM ENTERTAINMENT
Si ntra has long been regarded as an enchanting
The palace hosts a number of live
place of outstanding beauty, internationally
events throughout the year. These
revered by kings, noblemen, and artists. In include concerts of classical music, ~ Entrance arch
1809, the Enghsh poet Lord Byron described its exhibitions, ballets, and historical
verdant beauty as "glonous Eden," and fJJther plays performed by internationally
praise was giVen 1n OsLusiadas, Portugal's acdaimed artistes.
celebrated 16th-century epc poem by luis Vaz
de Cam6es The Palace of Pena's gansh urion
A Triton Arch
of styles, indud1ng exotic GothiC traces, made it
a forerunner of EJJopean Romantldsm.largely
impired by Bavanan palaces, Arab, Portuguese, KEY DATES
Germ an, Classical, and Rom antic mfluences 1400s 1839 1840s 1910 1995
were combined to create a unique, and at
The Hieronymite Ferdinand of Baron von Eschwege The palace i5 classified The palace, ab ng w1th
times bizarre, effect. The surrounding grounds
monastel)' of Noosa saxe-Coburg-Gotha puts the klng's ideas as a national monument the city of S intra, are
of the Parque da Pen a are also of striking Senhora da Pen a is buys the ruins of the Into effect, preserving and opens to the public added to UNESCO's
romantic beauty, filled with exotic trees and founded here. monastery with the the original monastel)' as a museum. World Heritage list.
intentiOn of turning It cloister and chapel.
shrubs and containing the cha let Ferdinand had into a palace.
built for his mistress.