Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Lisboa > Sintra > Queluz > Queluz e Belas
Situated in the Queluz area, in the municipality of Sintra, this palace is located in an area that, in the 18th century, corresponded to a countryside retreat, close to the capital. Today, it is integrated into a more urbanized context, yet maintaining its historical and landscape importance in the Queluz and Belas area.
Its position allowed the royal family to enjoy proximity to Lisbon, while simultaneously relishing a more tranquil environment, conducive to leisure and court festivities, far from the city's hustle and bustle.
The Queluz National Palace originated as a summer retreat for Dom Pedro of Bragança, later King Dom Pedro III, consort of Dona Maria I. Its construction, initiated in the mid-18th century, reflects the taste of the era, combining the exuberant Rococo style with elements that anticipate Neoclassicism.
Over time, and particularly after a fire that destroyed the Ajuda Palace, Queluz became the official residence of the Portuguese court. It was here that the royal family lived intensely for several years, before their departure for Brazil, leaving behind a building steeped in history and memories.
The architecture of the Queluz Palace is a remarkable example of the transition between Rococo and Neoclassicism in Portugal. The initial project by Mateus Vicente de Oliveira gave way to significant interventions by Jean-Baptiste Robillon and, later, by Manuel Caetano de Sousa, who contributed to the diversity of styles observed today.
The main facade presents a formal elegance, while other parts of the palace, such as the Robillon Pavilion, display the fantasy and ornamental richness of Rococo. This combination of styles gives the palace a unique character, marked by lightness and attention to detail.
The interior of the palace is an invitation to a journey through time into the life of the Portuguese court. The rooms, many richly decorated with allegorical paintings, ornate ceilings, and walls covered in silk or tiles, mirror the sumptuousness and daily life of royalty.
Rooms such as the Ambassadors' Room, with its mirrors and painted ceiling, the Music Room, venue for notable concerts, or the unique Don Quixote Room, with its illusion of circularity and thematic decorations, are testaments to the art and habits of the 18th and early 19th-century nobility.
The gardens of Queluz Palace are one of its most distinct and attractive features. Largely designed by Robillon and executed with the collaboration of the Dutch gardener Gerard van der Kolk, they follow the formal taste of French-style gardens, but incorporate unique elements.
With extensive beds of artistically pruned boxwood, varied statuary, fountains, cascades, and the famous Azulejo Canal, once navigable, the gardens served as a backdrop for the grand festivities and strolls of the court. The diversity of botanical species and the presence of elements like the Cavalinhos Portico or the dressed sphinxes add a touch of fantasy to this scenic space.
Queluz was the stage for important moments in the history of the Portuguese royal family. It was the home of Dom Pedro III and Dona Maria I, serving as a retreat for the queen during her illness. It became the main residence after the Ajuda fire and hosted Dom João VI and his children before their departure for Brazil.
Later, the palace was the scene of events such as the death of Dom João VI. Today, besides being a museum, one of its wings, the Dona Maria I Pavilion, functions as a guesthouse for foreign heads of state, maintaining its connection to the official representation of the Portuguese State.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.7507229,-9.2590824
Coordinates DMS: 38°45'2.6"N 09°15'32.7"W
Weather Queluz
On-duty Pharmacy Queluz
