Page 89 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Lisbon

FUR THER AFIELD  87

y Palácio Fronteira
Largo São Domingos de Benfica 1.
Tel 217 782 023. @ 770. q Jardim
Zoológico. £ Benfica. Open Mon–
Sat: 8 Jun–Sep: 10:30, 11am,
11:30am, noon; Oct–May: 11am, noon.
Closed public hols. &
This delightful country
manor house was built as a
hunting pavilion for João de
Mascarenhas, the first Marquês
de Fronteira, in 1640. Although
skyscrapers are visible in the
distance, it still occupies a quiet
spot, by the Parque Florestal
de Monsanto. Both house
and garden have azulejo
decoration whose subjects Tiled terrace leading to the chapel of the Palácio Fronteira
include battle scenes and u Parque do
trumpet-blowing monkeys. figures personifying the arts
Although the palace is still and mythological creatures. Monteiro-Mor
occupied by the 12th Marquis, In the formal Italian garden Largo Júlio Castilho. Tel 217 567 620.
some of the living rooms and the immaculate box hedges are @ 703, 736, 796. q Lumiar. Park:
the library, as well as cut into shapes Open 2–6pm Tue, 10am–10pm Wed–
the formal gardens, to represent the Sun. Closed 1 Jan, Easter, 1 May,
are included in the seasons of the year. 25 Dec. Museu Nacional do Traje:
tour. The Battles To one end, tiled Tel 217 567 620. Open 2–6pm Tue,
Room has lively tiled scenes of dashing 10am–6pm Wed–Sun. & (free first
panels depicting knights on horse- Sun of the month). Museu Nacional
scenes of the War of back, representing do Teatro: Tel 217 567 410. Open
Restoration (1640– ancestors of the 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & (combined
68), with a detail of Fronteira family, ticket for park & museums). 7
João de Fronteira are reflected in the
fighting a Spanish waters of a large Monteiro-Mor Park was sold
general. It was his Bust of João I in the gardens tank. On either side to the state in 1975 and the
loyalty to Pedro II of Palácio Fronteira of the water, a grand 18th-century palace buildings
during this war that staircase leads were converted to museums.
earned him the title of Marquis. to a terrace above. Here, The gardens are attractive and
Interesting comparisons can decorative niches contain the rather more romantic than the
be made between these naive busts of Portuguese kings and manicured box-hedge gardens
17th-century Portuguese tiles colourful majolica reliefs adorn so typical of Lisbon. Much of
and the Delft ones from the the arcades. More blue-and- the land is wooded, though the
same period in the dining white tiled scenes, realistic and area around the museums has
room, depicting naturalistic allegorical, decorate the wall at gardens with flowering shrubs,
scenes. The dining room is also the far end of the garden. duck ponds and tropical trees.
decorated with frescoed panels The rather old-fashioned
and portraits of Portuguese Museu Nacional do Traje
nobility by artists such as (Costume Museum) has a vast
Domingos António de Sequeira collection of textiles, accessories
(1768–1837). and costumes worn by
The late-16th-century chapel musicians, politicians, poets,
is the oldest part of the house. aristocrats and soldiers.
The façade is adorned with The Museu Nacional do
stones, shells, broken glass and Teatro has two buildings,
bits of china. These fragments one devoted to temporary
of crockery are believed to exhibitions, the other
have been used at the feast containing a small permanent
inaugurating the palace and collection. Photos, posters
then smashed to ensure no one and cartoons feature famous
else could sup off the same set. 20th-century Portuguese actors,
Visits to the garden start at the and one section is devoted to
chapel terrace, where tiled Entrance to the theatre museum in Parque Amália Rodrigues, the famous
niches are decorated with do Monteiro-Mor fado singer (see p145).

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