Quinta da Regaleira, or Regaleira Palace, is one of the youngest palaces of Sintra. This particular Palace was bought by a man called António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, a really rich man that inherited a great fortune from his father in the late 1800. His family was Portuguese but, Mr "Monteiro of the Millions", this is how he was known for, was born in Brasil, Rio de Janeiro.
He was a quite curious man, had a law degree in Coimbra, but he was a philosopher, also a botanic fan, alchemist and had one the largest collections of butterflies in Europe.
The property was bought from a family that their last name was Regaleira, hence the palace's name.
In 1898 Mr. "Monteiro of the Millions" bought the property and asked the Italian architect Luigi Manini to fulfill his dream, to have a palace that had so much meaning and symbolism, mysticism and a heritage... a Portuguese heritage.
Recovering what is considered the most Portuguese architectonic style, Manini rebuild the Palace of Regaleira in Neo-Manueline style, a Portuguese style created by the Portuguese King of the navigation's, King Manuel I.
This is a beautiful style that uses a lot from the Gothic, but adds up some amazing features, recollecting us to 15th century when the Portuguese where known for their adventures until India, China, Brasil, etc.
I advise my guests in Portugal to visit this particular palace, not only because of it's beauty, but is one of the least expensive, and less crowded. And absolutely beautiful and crazy as well.
In the next post i will talk about the Palace and the secret symbols and the initiation well.
Regaleira Palace in Sintra
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