According to legend, in the 16th century a shepherd found an image of the Virgin Mary in a cave close to here. In 1802 construction began on the Ajuda Palace, which was intended as a royal residence; its last regal occupant (Queen Maria) died here in 1911. Today the fussy building is home to a museum of 18th- and 19th-century paintings, furniture, and tapestries—hardly unique in Lisbon and, frankly, hardly an essential sight, although temporary exhibitions keep things interesting. It is also used for official ceremonies and functions by the Presidency of the Republic. It's a 20-minute walk north along Calçada da Ajuda from the Museu Nacional dos Coches, but Bus 14 and Tram 18 run this way, too.
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