Regaleira Palace I
by Marco Oliveira
Original - Not For Sale
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Dimensions
4000.000 x 6016.000 pixels
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Title
Regaleira Palace I
Artist
Marco Oliveira
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The Regaleira Palace and Estate was built in the beginning of the 20th century and is situated next to Sintra’s historical centre. It was born from the imagination of its millionaire owner António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro and the Italian architect Luigi Manini.
The Regaleira family were rich merchants who purchased the land in the late nineteenth century, and it was over the next decade that Carvalho Monteiro set about realising his dream of constructing his own magic hideaway in conjunction with the renowned Italian architect.
The Regaleira Estate embodies a combination of styles including Roman, Gothic, Renaissance and Manueline and it is believed that each section of building incorporates hidden symbols related to Masonry, Alchemy, the famous Knights Templar and the Rosicrucians, a sign of his dedication to his homeland and his family’s historical, cultural and commercial importance in Portugal’s history.
The estate covers four hectares in which architecture and landscaping combine with breath-taking effect to create a mystical place of lakes, grottoes, fountains, wells, streams and stone-built structures. It remained in the family for several decades before being sold twice and finally being acquired by Sintra Town Hall in 1997 and opened to the general public a year later. Declared a public interest property by the Portuguese Ministry of Culture shortly after its opening, The Regaleira Estate’s importance went on to be realised by UNESCO who later designated it a World Heritage Site.
From the luxuriant gardens to the numerous buildings, such as the Milhões Palace, the Santíssima Trindade Chapel, or the turrets and the small palaces, the Regaleira Estate provides an entrance in an alternative dimension that one could never guess just by looking at its main gate… The real beauty is in discovering the hidden nooks and crannies of the exterior gardens. Hidden amongst the greenery and water features is a series of tunnels that pass beneath the ground, interconnecting many of the primary sights within the four-hectare estate. The turrets that rise from the grounds inspire a series of delightful panoramic vistas out across Sintra and the lush rolling hills beyond.
Uploaded
December 17th, 2013
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