Royal Steps

Category: Military Architecture > Walls

District: Leiria > Leiria > Monte Real

Location

The Royal Palace stands on the highest part of Monte Real, offering a privileged perspective over the surrounding landscape. Its prominent placement, atop a hill, allows for views of the extensive fields of the Lis River valley. Access to the site is via a staircase, inviting a tranquil ascent to this historic spot. The building is surrounded by trees, contributing to a serene and picturesque environment.

Royal and Foundational Memories

The history of the Royal Palace of Monte Real is intrinsically linked to the founding of the village itself. It was by initiative of King D. Dinis, in October 1292, that Monte Real was established. Although its construction is largely attributed, by tradition, to Queen Saint Isabel, Lady of Leiria and its territories, in the early 14th century, the Palace originally served as a royal residence. This royal summer retreat was chosen for its strategic position overlooking the valley, which some historians suggest was the site of an ancient Lusitanian hillfort, later rebuilt by D. Dinis himself.

Architecture and Transformations Throughout the Centuries

What remains today of the Royal Palace are vestiges of an imposing structure, testifying to various periods of construction and modification, spanning the 14th, 17th, and 19th centuries. It is possible to observe a rectangular plan, composed of the articulation of several walled sections, topped with battlements. Notable features include the two ogival arches and the straight lintel doors that remain visible. Inside, there is a single nave with flagstone flooring and a wooden ceiling. Over time, the building underwent significant interventions, such as the restoration in the late 19th century, which altered its original appearance but preserved the essence of this historic monument.

The Chapel of Queen Saint

One of the most striking elements of the Royal Palace is the Chapel of Queen Saint, built in 1605 by the Bishop of Leiria, D. Martim Afonso Mexia, incorporated into the ruins of the old palace. This chapel, of Mannerist design with revivalist elements, features a frontispiece attached to one of the walls and a bell tower. Its interior, a single nave, houses an altar with the image of the patron saint and, on the flagstone pavement, 19th-century tombstones are visible. Currently, the chapel maintains its religious function, serving as a place of worship and a living testament to the history and faith that have permeated this site throughout the centuries.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt