The history of Mafra turns on one building. King João V vowed to raise a convent if his marriage gave him an heir, and the work that began in 1717 made a small country town the site of the largest Baroque building in Portugal, paid for with the gold that came from Brazil.
This page lists the main dates in the history of Mafra and the people linked to it.
Timeline of Mafra
- 17 November 1717: the first stone of the Royal Building of Mafra is laid, to a design by Johann Friedrich Ludwig.
- 22 October 1730: the basilica is consecrated, and the friars take up the convent.
- 1744 and 1747: the Tapada is created by decree, and its wall is begun.
- 1753: King José I supports the school of sculpture at Mafra, directed by Alessandro Giusti, where sculptors such as Machado de Castro trained.
- 1755: the building is completed.
- 1792 to 1807: the six organs are installed in the basilica, in the reign of the prince who became King João VI, for whom Mafra was a favourite residence.
- 1807: the royal family leaves Portugal for Brazil.
- 1828: the Tapada is divided into three parts.
- 5 October 1910: King Manuel II, the last King of Portugal, sails into exile from Ericeira.
- 1987: the Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre opens at Gradil.
- 2011: the coast of Ericeira is classified as a World Surfing Reserve.
- 7 July 2019: UNESCO inscribes the Royal Building of Mafra on the World Heritage List.
People linked to Mafra
- King João V: the king whose vow led to the building of the palace and convent.
- Johann Friedrich Ludwig: the architect, a Swabian goldsmith and military engineer known in Portugal as João Frederico Ludovice.
- Alessandro Giusti: the Italian sculptor who directed the school of sculpture at Mafra.
- José Saramago: the writer whose novel Memorial do Convento tells the building of the convent.
Places to visit in Mafra
Mafra, Portugal
Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent & Hunting Park
Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent & Hunting Park
Tapada de Mafra
Tapada de Mafra
Ericeira Surf Coast
Ericeira Surf Coast
Ericeira
Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre
Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre
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History of Mafra
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