Very close to the historic centre of Sintra is Quinta Regaleira, one of the town’s most enigmatic sights.
The palace of Quinta da Regaleira was built in the early 20th century by the millionaire António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro (1848-1920), who managed to realise one of his dreams here with the help of the scenographic architect Luigi Manini (1848-1936). Surrounded by lush green vegetation, the Palácio da Regaleira is a fascinating discovery.
The palace was built in a Romantic revivalist style, in an imitation of Gothic, Manueline and Renaissance architectural and decorative forms, mixed with a mythical and esoteric symbolism.
A special mention is reserved for the Capela da Santíssima Trindade (Chapel of the Holy Trinity), where visitors can descend via a spiral staircase into the crypt to discover the monumental initiation well that, at the bottom, leads via a grotto to a surprising lake hidden in the middle of the gardens. |