Sintra - Palácio da Pena

Following the road uphill from the Castelo dos Mouros, after about 1km/0.75mi we reach the entrance into the park of the Palácio Nacional da Pena, or Castelo da Pena, perched on its rocky crag (alt. 528m/1,732ft).

This palace was also a royal summer residence and was built, as a medieval style castle, for Ferdinand von Coburg-Koháry, Queen Maria II's consort (Fernando II), by Colonel von Eschwege 1840-50, who was instructed to incorporate elements of a 16th C. convent, and otherwise mix various building styles.

Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Rococo, Moorish and Far Eastern features are all detectable, and Eschwege also incorporated Portuguese examples, such as modeling the principal tower on the Tower of Belém. Probably the finest views of the Serra de Sintra are to be had from the walk along the top of the walls, the Galeria, and from the dome (external staircase).

The rooms of the "fairy tale castle", which likewise lack any stylistic uniformity, are packed full of furniture, china, weapons, etc. The palace has also retained parts of the old 16th C. convent, namely, the two story Manueline cloister, with azulejolined walls, and the chapel, which has a Renaissance altar (1532) by Nicolas Chanterène and 19th C. German stained glass windows.