Sintra National Palace of Pena

The National Palace of Pena stands out as the renowned jewel in the crown of the Sintra Hills. The coloured tones of the palace, the pinnacle of Romanticism in Portugal and the eternal legacy of Ferdinand II, the King-Artist. The site reaches back to the 12th century as a chapel. It remained open after the earthquake of 1755 until 1834 when all religious orders in Portugal were abolished. Two years later, in 1836, Queen Maria II married Ferdinand and according to the nuptial contract, Ferdinand was bestowed with the status of King-consort. Ferdinand II was one of the most cultured men of 19th century Portugal known nationally as the King-Artist. Shortly after his arrival in Portugal, he fell for Sintra and acquired, from his own personal fortune, The original project was simply to restore the building as the summer residence for the royal family but his enthusiasm led him to opt for the construction of a palace and extending the pre-existing construction and developing an extensive development of the surrounding park. Following the death of Queen Maria II in 1853, Ferdinand would later marry Elise Hensler, an opera singer and the Countess of Edla. The second phase of occupation of Pena by the Royal Family saw the presence of King Carlos I (1863-1908) and Queen Amelie of Orleans (1865-1951). Queen Amelie was in the Palace of Pena when taken by surprise by news of the Declaration of the Republic on 5th October 1910, and where she escaped to Gibraltar. The Palace of Pena was classified as a National Monument in 1910 and by UNESCO as World Heritage in 1995.Read more