Page 100 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Lisbon

98  THE LISBON C O AST

the rooms of the monastery,
through the pharmacy, with
fine old medicine jars and some
alarming medical in struments,
to the hospital, where 16
patients in private cubicles
could see and hear Mass in
the adjoining chapel without
leaving their beds.
Upstairs, the sumptuous
palace state rooms extend
across the whole of the
monumental west façade,
with the King’s apartments
at one end and the Queen’s
apartments at the other, a
staggering 232 m (760 ft) apart.
Halfway between the two,
the long, imposing façade is
The stunning library in the Palácio de Mafra, paved with chequered marble relieved by the twin bell towers
of the domed basilica. The
1 Palácio de Mafra made ever more extravagant interior of the church is
plans. No expense was spared: decorated in contrasting
Terreiro de Dom João V, Mafra. colours of marble and furnished
Tel 261 817 550. @ from Lisbon. 52,000 men were employed
q Campo Grande, then @ Ericeira. and the finished project with six early-19th-century
Open 9am–6pm Wed–Mon (last adm: eventually housed not 13, but organs. Fine Baroque
1 hr before closing). Closed 1 Jan, 330 friars, a royal palace and sculptures,
Easter, 1 May, 24 & 25 Dec. 5 & one of the finest libraries in executed by
(free first Sun of the month). 8 Europe, decorated with members of the
compulsory. ∑ palaciomafra.pt precious marble, exotic Mafra School of
wood and countless Sculpture, adorn the
This massive Baroque palace works of art. The atrium of the basilica.
and monastery dwarfs the small magnificent basilica was Begun by José I in
town of Mafra. It was built consecrated on the 1754, many renowned
during the reign of João V, and king’s 41st birthday, Portuguese and
began with a vow by the young 22 October 1730. foreign artists trained
king to build a new monastery The palace was only in the school under
and basilica, supposedly in popular with those the directorship of
return for an heir (but more members of the royal the Italian sculptor
likely, to atone for his well- family who enjoyed Alessandro Giusti
known sexual excesses). Work hunting deer and wild (1715–99). Further
began in 1717 on a modest boar. Today, a wolf Statue of St Bruno on, the Sala da Caça
project to house 13 Franciscan conservation project in the atrium of has a grotesque
friars but, as the wealth began runs here. Most of the Mafra’s basilica collection of
to pour into the royal coffers finest furniture and art hunting trophies
from Brazil, the king and his works were taken to Brazil when and boars’ heads. Mafra’s
Italian-trained architect, Johann the royal family escaped the greatest treasure, however,
Friedrich Ludwig (1670–1752), French invasion in 1807. is its magnificent library,
The monastery was which has a patterned marble
abandoned in 1834 floor, Rococo-style wooden
following the bookcases and a collection
dis solution of all of over 40,000 books in gold-
religious orders, and embossed leather bindings,
the palace itself was including a prized first edition
finally abandoned in of Os Lusíadas (1572) by the
1910, when the last celebrated Portuguese poet,
Portuguese king, Luís de Camões (1524–80).
Manuel II, escaped
from here to the Environs
royal yacht anchored Once a week, on Thursday
off Ericeira. mornings, the small country
Allow at least an town of Malveira, 10 km
hour for the lengthy (6 miles) east of Mafra, has the
The king’s bedroom in the Royal Palace tour, which starts in region’s biggest market, selling

098-099_EW_Lisbon.indd 98 17/10/16 11:34 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 1st October 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm