King Ferdinand then set out to transform the remains of the monastery into a palace that would serve as a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family.
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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). These monarchs would spend part of the summer season in the palace before then moving onto the Citadel of Cascais for further vacations.
Built on top of the hill as a result of the creative genius of Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, king consort of Queen Maria II, the Park and Palace of Pena are Portugal's greatest example of nineteenth-century Romanticism and the most important element in the Cultural Landscape of Sintra World Heritage Site.
An area of former royal summer residence, Sintra possesses a beauty that was celebrated by Lord Byron in his poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, and English author Robert Southey referred to Sintra as ?the most blessed spot on the whole inhabitable globe.? Sintra was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.
Even though magnificent royal residences in the Romantic style are often to be found in 19th and 20th century Europe, Sintra is a pioneer work of European romanticism, bringing together its incredible botanical richness and a diversity of monuments and buildings from a long period of history.
Why are there so many palaces and grand mansions in Sintra? Historically, the reason was due to the slightly cooler climate that the hills of the Serra de Sintra provide. This enticed the nobility of Portugal to construct their summer residences here.
It became the summer residence of the Royal family. Under his explicit command, the monastery was painted in red and the new building in yellow. In 1994 the original colours, which disappeared with time, red for the former monastery and yellow for the new palace were restored.
The Castle of the Moors is a hilltop medieval castle located in the central Portuguese civil parish of Santa Maria e São Miguel, in the municipality of Sintra, about 25 km northwest of Lisbon.
The 'Park Ticket' for the Palacio da Pena. There is a second entrance ticket to the Palacio da Pena, which provides entrance to the grounds only. The 'Park Ticket' costs €7.50, but surprisingly little of the palace and the terraces can be seen.
The Pena Palace is a spectacular building situated in beautiful grounds. If you like, you could spend hours just walking the grounds. The exterior of the palace is like a fairy tale, and the inside is quite ornate. There were no line-ups when I was there (January) but the summer might be different.
It is a unique blend of striking natural landscape, ancient stone monuments, elaborate gardens, magical forests, and stunning castles and palaces. Sintra has drawn people to it for more than 7,000 years.
Located just 30 kilometers from the Portuguese capital, Sintra is definitely worth a detour when staying in Lisbon. Classed in 1995 as a UNESCO world heritage site, it offers remarkable landscapes and monuments, giving it the nickname of glorious Eden.