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Palacio Nacional de Sintra Review

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Palácio Nacional de Sintra

  • Address: Largo Rainha D. Amélia, Sintra
  • Phone: 21/910-6840

Fodor's Review:

Easily mistaken for a glaringly misplaced energy plant of some sort, the conical twin white chimneys of the Palácio Nacional de Sintra (Sintra Palace) are the town's most recognizable landmarks. Under those chimneys, meat turned on spits for the feasts of João I. There has probably been a palace here since Moorish times, although the current structure, also known as the Paço Real, dates from the late 14th century. It is the only surviving royal palace in Portugal from the Middle Ages. The property was the summer residence of the House of Avis, Portugal's royal line, and it displays a fetching combination of Moorish, Gothic, and Manueline architectural styles. Some of its rooms are exceptional, and bilingual descriptions in each of them let you enjoy the palace at your own pace. The kitchen, with its famous chimneys, is an intriguing stop, not least because of its sheer size (imagine the life of a scullery maid here). It's still used today when official banquets are held at the palace. The chapel has Mozarabic (Moorish-influenced) azulejos from the 15th and 16th centuries. The ceiling of the Sala das Armas is painted with the coats of arms of 72 noble families, and the grand Sala dos Cisnes has a remarkable ceiling of painted swans. One of the oldest rooms, the Sala das Pegas, figures in a well-known tale about Dom João I (1385-1433) and his dalliance with a lady-in-waiting. The king had the room painted with as many magpies as there were chattering court ladies, thus satirizing the gossips as loose-tongued birds.

  • Cost: EUR 4, free Sun. 10-2
  • Open: Thurs.-Tues. 10-5:30 (last admission 5)
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