Pena Palace is a 19th-century royal palace on a peak of the Sintra hills, inside the Cultural Landscape of Sintra. King Ferdinand II bought the ruined monastery on the site in 1838 and built a new palace around it, with Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege in charge of the works.
The palace stands above the town of Sintra, in the eastern part of the Park of Pena.
What to see at Pena Palace
- Old Palace: the former Hieronymite monastery keeps its 16th-century church, cloister and ground-floor rooms, including the former Chapter House and refectory. The royal family used this wing for private apartments.
- New Palace: the wing built for Ferdinand II holds the state rooms, including the Noble Hall, and the apartments of the king and queen.
- Chapel altarpiece: the altarpiece of the former monastery church is attributed to the sculptor Nicolau Chanterene and dates from the 16th century.
- Walls and terraces: parapet walks, lookout towers, an access tunnel and a drawbridge surround both wings. The terraces look over the Sintra hills and the Atlantic coast.
- Park of Pena: Ferdinand II planted tree species from every continent across 85 hectares of paths and gardens. Landmarks include the High Cross at 528 metres, the Temple of Columns, the Fountain of the Little Birds, the Queen's Fern Valley and the Valley of the Lakes.
- Chalet of the Countess of Edla: Ferdinand II and his second wife, the opera singer Elise Hensler, built this Alpine-style house on the western side of the park. The reconstruction of the chalet received a Europa Nostra award in 2013.
History of Pena Palace
- 12th century: a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena is built on the peak.
- 1503: King Manuel I orders the construction of the Royal Monastery of Our Lady of Pena, later given to the Order of Saint Jerome.
- 1755: the Lisbon earthquake damages the monastery without destroying it.
- 1834: Portugal dissolves its religious orders and the monks leave the monastery.
- 1838: King Ferdinand II buys the monastery and the land around it with his own fortune.
- 1840s to 1850s: the New Palace is built under Baron von Eschwege, and the king lays out the park.
- 1853: Queen Maria II dies, and Ferdinand II moves into the former monastery wing.
- 1890s: King Carlos I and Queen Amélia spend part of each summer at Pena.
- 1910: Queen Amélia is at Pena on 5 October, when the Republic is declared, and leaves Portugal soon after. The palace is classified as a National Monument the same year.
- 1995: UNESCO inscribes the Cultural Landscape of Sintra on the World Heritage List.
- 2012: the palace joins the European Royal Residences Network.
Visiting Pena Palace
- Management: Parques de Sintra has managed the park since 2000 and the palace since 2007.
- Location: the palace is reached through the Park of Pena, on the peak above the historic centre of Sintra. The Moorish Castle stands on the neighbouring peak.
- Tickets: the palace and the park have separate ticket options. The Parques de Sintra website publishes current opening times and prices.
Other places in the Cultural Landscape of Sintra