8 Fun Pena Palace Facts You Must Know
Pena Palace is a world heritage site with secrets and facts that will surprise anyone.
From being a chapel to its unique architectural style, many facts about the palace are still untold.
This article will tell you all the exciting and fun Pena Palace facts:
1. The Palace’s Vibrant Play of Colors
The Pena Palace is a colorful palace on top of a mountain. It is painted yellow, red, and blue and has white details.
It combines Gothic, Manueline, Moorish, and Islamic architectural styles, reminding people of the castle of Ludwig of Bavaria.
One fascinating Pena Palace Sintra fact is its cornflower blue and periwinkle yellow paint, indicating its Islamic influence.
Moreover, the palace is the perfect amalgamation of color styles, making it even more dreamy.
2. Its Unique Romanticism-Inspired Architecture
One of the Pena National Palace facts is its unique, noteworthy architecture.
The Pena National Palace was built in the 19th century and is considered a masterpiece of Romantic architecture.
The palace combines architectural styles, including Neo-Gothic, Neo-Manueline, Neo-Moorish, and Islamic.
One of the most striking features of the palace is the gateway, which depicts Triton, a Greek god of the sea.
The gateway is carved out of the rocks of the Sintra Mountains and is very detailed.
The clock tower and expansive terrace offer the most scenic view of the Pena National Palace.
3. Pena Palace was once a Chapel and a Monastery
A long time ago, there was a small chapel on the site where the Pena Palace is now.
People would come to this chapel to pray to the Lady of Pena.
One day, King Manuel built a monastery on the chapel site.
He donated the monastery to the Order of Saint Jerome. The monastery was home to 18 monks in the 17th century.
The monastery was damaged in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. It was never rebuilt, and the ruins were eventually used to build the Pena Palace.
Today, Pena Palace is a mix of different architectural styles, including Gothic, Manueline, Moorish, and Islamic.
4. King Ferdinand II transformed Pena Palace
In 1838, King Ferdinand II of Portugal bought the ruins of the monastery and the land around it.
He wanted to turn it into a summer home for his family, so he hired a German architect, Baron Wilhelm von Eschwege, to help him design the palace.
Baron von Eschwege was a romantic architect who designed the palace to be a fairytale castle.
It is now a popular tourist destination and one of Portugal’s most beautiful buildings.
5. Its Interiors are to die for
The best Pena Palace fact you should know about is its interiors.
The Pena Palace is a beautiful and unique building with great detail. The architect used a lot of different styles, including Victorian and Edwardian.
The Great Hall, or Billiards Room, is the palace’s most important space.
It has a gold-plated brass chandelier with 72 candles, four petroleum lamps, and torch-holder candelabras. This shows that the room is in the Gothic style.
The kitchen in the palace has all kinds of utensils and culinary equipment.
The stained glass in the chapel shows the architect’s artistic intentions and the royal family’s political legitimacy.
If you want to explore the insides, you need a Pena Palace entry ticket.
6. Abandoned after the Earthquake
A devastating earthquake hit Lisbon in 1755.
The monastery was damaged, and the monks left. The chapel was not destroyed but was abandoned for almost 100 years.
The government took over the ruins in 1834.
A private owner bought the land in 1838 and built a monument commemorating the city’s rebuilding.
The monument is called the Rua Augusta Arch.
7. The Portuguese state bought it in 1899
Pena Palace was officially a royal summer residence until the Portuguese state bought it in 1899.
After the Portuguese Revolution in 1910, it became a national monument and a museum.
Today, it is one of the most visited attractions in Portugal.
8. Several Gardens made one Park
Pena Palace’s exciting fact is that it covers most of Serra de Sintra, over 85 hectares of surrounding land, and Pena Park covers most of it.
It has plants worldwide, including North American sequoia, Lawson’s cypress, magnolia, Western red cedar, Chinese ginkgo, and Japanese Cryptomeria.
And a wide variety of ferns and tree ferns from Australia and New Zealand.
While walking in the garden, you will also spot cameliias, tree ferns, conifers, and other rich natural vegetation.
Due to its romantic atmosphere, it is considered one of the most beautiful scenes in Portugal.
9. Pena Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Pena Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.
It is one of the national treasures often used by the president for state occasions.
It’s painted red and yellow, and the colors are repainted every few years to keep them looking good.
Its architectural beauty makes it one of the most visited castles in Portugal.
FAQs
What is the most exciting fact about Pena Palace?
The most interesting Pena Palace fact is the creation of a sundial cannon on the Queen’s terrace.
This cannon was fired daily at noon from the palace.
Another palace feature was its clock tower, a new section completed in 1834.
What are some fun facts about Pena Palace?
It is a beautiful amalgamation of Neo-Moorish, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Manueline and Islamic styles.
Another fun fact about Pena Palace is that it was a chapel and a monastery before a palace was built.
It was home to 18 monks at one time.
What is Pena Palace known for?
It is known for being one of the seven wonders of Portugal.
Pena Palace is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its unique blend of architectural styles.
It is also known for its colorful blend of terraces and decorative battlements that cannot be missed.
Why Is Pena Palace Yellow?
Under the orders of the King, the palace was explicitly painted red and its new building yellow.
In 1994, the original colors faded, so red and yellow paints were used during their restoration.
What is inside Pena Palace?
Pena Palace’s fine and stunning interiors are a fine example of 19th-century furniture.
Another fantastic factor about its interiors is the monastery it was built on, the beautiful Sala de Visitas, the Salão Nobre, and the King’s chambers.
Featured Image: Parquesdesintra(Facebook.com)