Pena Palace

Pena Palace

Pena Palace is located in Sintra, in the Lisbon District, near the city of Lisbon. It is the best-preserved medieval royal palace in Portugal and was continuously inhabited by the royal family to varying degrees from the early 15th century to the late 19th century. As part of the "Cultural Landscape of Sintra," it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pena Palace has become one of the most popular and important tourist attractions in Sintra, with a history that dates back to the Umayyad conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. This white palace was originally built by the Moors for Lisbon. After the Portuguese recaptured Lisbon in 1147, it became the royal palace of the Portuguese monarchy. Some say that if Pena Palace is compared to the Summer Palace, then the Sintra Royal Palace is akin to the Forbidden City, highlighting its significant historical status and importance. The Sintra Royal Palace served as the summer retreat for the Portuguese royal family. After several expansions and renovations, it blends Gothic, Moorish, and Portuguese architectural styles. However, the two identical large chimneys at the top of the palace have been well preserved and have become the iconic symbols of the Sintra Royal Palace. No matter where you are in Sintra, as long as you can see these two chimneys, you can identify the location of the palace. Each room in the palace displays the furniture and furnishings used by the royal family at the time, such as Arab wall tiles, Italian carvings, French chandeliers, Chinese porcelain vases, Spanish fans, Czech crystalware, Indian wooden carved deities, and more.

The most magnificent room in Pena Palace is the Swan Room, adorned with exquisitely painted ceilings depicting 27 swans in various lifelike poses. Other notable rooms include the Mermaid Room decorated with floral tiles, the China Room that houses a collection of Chinese ivory towers, and the Heraldry Room featuring beautiful tile murals and noble crests.

Sintra National Palace

Must-visit reason: The best-preserved medieval royal palace in Portugal

Continent: Europe

Country/Region: Portugal

Province/State: Lisbon District

City: Sintra