Mafra - Palácio Nacional de Mafra 
History
The Palácio Nacional de Mafra was founded in 1717 by Joao V and his queen, Maria Ana of Austria, in fulfilllment of a vow made in 1711 and in thanksgiving for the birth of an heir (later José I). It was built by a force of as many as 50,000 workmen under the direction of the Italian trained German architect Johann Friedrich Ludwig and his son Johann Peter Ludwig and consecrated in 1730, although it was 1750 before the whole complex was finally complete.
The Palácio Nacional de Mafra was founded in 1717 by Joao V and his queen, Maria Ana of Austria, in fulfilllment of a vow made in 1711 and in thanksgiving for the birth of an heir (later José I). It was built by a force of as many as 50,000 workmen under the direction of the Italian trained German architect Johann Friedrich Ludwig and his son Johann Peter Ludwig and consecrated in 1730, although it was 1750 before the whole complex was finally complete.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
Palácio Nacional de Mafra
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The monastery buildings were originally occupied by Franciscans but in the late 18th C. were transferred to the Augustinians. When the monastery was closed following the dissolution of all religious orders in 1834 parts of it were allocated to the army.
The former royal apartments were hardly ever occupied. King Joao V and his Queen spent only a few days here, and it wasn't until the early 19th C. that the palace enjoyed its brief heyday when Joao VI resided here in 1806-07. With the approach of French troops the royal family made a hurried departure from the palace, en route for Lisbon and subsequently Brazil, taking most of the valuable furnishings and works of art with them. Nor did later Portuguese rulers spend much time in Mafra, usually only stopping here in order to hunt nearby.
Layout
The huge building consists of the monastery church, the monastery accommodation containing the cells and the communal rooms used by the monks, and a further section to serve the royal family as their accommodation. Built on an almost square plan and designed with the strictest regard for symmetry, the building as a whole is 251m/825ft long by 221m/725ft wide and covers a total area of 40,000sq.m/48,000sq.yd. It has 900 rooms, with 4,500 windows and doors. It bears comparison with the Escorial, Philip II's monastery palace near Madrid, but was intended by its founder to surpass even the Escorial in size and splendor. It is the supreme exemplification in Portugal of cool Baroque magnificence, lavish extravagance and absolute royal power. It was financed by gold from the Brazilian mines. The church is open to the public, as are the former royal apartments (guided tours), but parts of the monastery cannot be visited since they are occupied by a military academy, etc.
The Palácio Nacional de Mafra is where the Portugese royal family prefers reside in the summer.
The former royal apartments were hardly ever occupied. King Joao V and his Queen spent only a few days here, and it wasn't until the early 19th C. that the palace enjoyed its brief heyday when Joao VI resided here in 1806-07. With the approach of French troops the royal family made a hurried departure from the palace, en route for Lisbon and subsequently Brazil, taking most of the valuable furnishings and works of art with them. Nor did later Portuguese rulers spend much time in Mafra, usually only stopping here in order to hunt nearby.
Layout
The huge building consists of the monastery church, the monastery accommodation containing the cells and the communal rooms used by the monks, and a further section to serve the royal family as their accommodation. Built on an almost square plan and designed with the strictest regard for symmetry, the building as a whole is 251m/825ft long by 221m/725ft wide and covers a total area of 40,000sq.m/48,000sq.yd. It has 900 rooms, with 4,500 windows and doors. It bears comparison with the Escorial, Philip II's monastery palace near Madrid, but was intended by its founder to surpass even the Escorial in size and splendor. It is the supreme exemplification in Portugal of cool Baroque magnificence, lavish extravagance and absolute royal power. It was financed by gold from the Brazilian mines. The church is open to the public, as are the former royal apartments (guided tours), but parts of the monastery cannot be visited since they are occupied by a military academy, etc.
The Palácio Nacional de Mafra is where the Portugese royal family prefers reside in the summer.
Things to See
Basilica
The basilica is in the middle of the main front of the Palace Monastery of Mafra, which is precisely articulated and almost without decoration and was later used as a model for the building of the Basilica da Estrela. It is flanked by twin towers 68m/223ft high which are smoothly integrated into the front of the palace. The carillon of 114 bells was made by an Antwerp bell founder named Lavache. Through the vestibule of the church, with 14 statues of saints in Carrara marble by the Italian sculptor Alexandre Giusti, lies the aisleless exterior faced with limestone. The ground plan of the church is in the shape of a Roman cross. It is 58.5m/192ft long and 43m/141ft wide at the crossing. It took two years to construct the crossing dome (65m/213ft high, 13m/43ft across) and its 2m/6.5ft side lantern. The interior has a coffered barrel vaulted ceiling and 62 fluted pillars. Various types of marble pink, white, black, gray, blue and yellow were combined in a geometric pattern. The influences of German Baroque and Italian Classicism are evident; the architect Johann Friedrich Ludwig is thought to have derived inspiration from St Peter's Church in the Vatican and the Jesus Church in Rome. Also striking are the six organs constructed for Joao V between 1792 and 1807 in accordance with plans drawn up by the organ builders Joaquim António Peres Fontanes and António Xavier Machado.
The church has eleven chapels. Until well into the 18th century oil paintings by Portuguese and Italian masters hung here. However, they were damaged by the high humidity to the extent that they had to be replaced by the bas reliefs in Carrara marble that we see today. The altar pieces in the large chapels in the crossing are the combined work of Alexandre Giusti and his famous pupil Machado de Castro. The marble statues in the side chapels are of various saints; they were completed in Italy and then brought to Mafra. Together with the statues on the exterior facade and in the vestibule they represent the most important collection of works by Italian sculptors to be found anywhere in Portugal.
The church has eleven chapels. Until well into the 18th century oil paintings by Portuguese and Italian masters hung here. However, they were damaged by the high humidity to the extent that they had to be replaced by the bas reliefs in Carrara marble that we see today. The altar pieces in the large chapels in the crossing are the combined work of Alexandre Giusti and his famous pupil Machado de Castro. The marble statues in the side chapels are of various saints; they were completed in Italy and then brought to Mafra. Together with the statues on the exterior facade and in the vestibule they represent the most important collection of works by Italian sculptors to be found anywhere in Portugal.
Library
Of particular interest is the Library, 88m/290ft incunabula and manuscripts, first editions of Camoes' "Lusiads", and the plays of Gil Vicente, a trilingual Bible of 1514 and the earliest edition of Homer in Greek.
Monastery Buildings
Guided tours of the palace also take in the pharmacy, the infirmary, with the original 18th C. fittings, the kitchen, faced with blue azulejos, the oval chapterhouse, some of the communal rooms and the monks' cells.
Museum of Comparative Sculpture
In the left hand corner pavilion on the main front of the Royal Palace is the Museum of Comparative Sculpture, with casts of famous works by Portuguese, Italian and French sculptors of the 12th to 16th C.
Tapada de Mafra
To the rear of the palace extends the Tapada de Mafra, the royal deer park enclosed by a wall 20km/12.5mi long, in which the royal family still hunted at the beginning of the 20th C.
A variety of species of Deer can be found at the Tapada de Mafra.
A variety of species of Deer can be found at the Tapada de Mafra.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | Closed | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | |
| Open | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | |
| Close | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 |
Always closed on:
May Day / Labor Day (May 1)
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Easter - Christian (Apr 08)
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Easter - Christian (Apr 08)
Guides
Guided tour included with admission.
