A few kilometers from Lisbon, Sintra enchants tourists with its imposing and beautiful palaces, surrounded by green forests. One of the most impressive is Quinta da Regaleira, also called the Palácio da Regaleira or Monteiro dos Milhões. It is located on the hillside of Serra de Sintra, not far from the historic city center.
There are about four hectares of land, where the buildings appear in the midst of diverse trees and beautiful gardens. The palace was erected at the beginning of the last century, with a mixture of architectural styles, among them the Renaissance, the Gothic and the neo-Manueline. As a result, there are towers, arches, staircases, bridges and windows filled with intricate details.
What awakens an atmosphere of mysteries and secrets are the symbolisms scattered throughout the buildings, all carefully designed by former owner António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. Everywhere there are components that refer to Greek mythology, Dante's work, alchemy, the age of the Discoveries and the Great Navigations and even the Templars.
The property also houses lakes and underground buildings, with a series of tunnels and caves. One of the most curious places is the Poço Iniciático, a deep circular gallery, surrounded by arcades, columns and a spiral staircase, all made of stone. The bottom of the well has the design of a wind rose on a Templar cross.
The Palace was built in a romantic revivalist style, recovering Gothic, Manueline and Renaissance architectural and decorative forms, mixed with mythical and esoteric symbols.
A special highlight is the Chapel of the Holy Trinity that allows you to descend to the crypt and the descent by a spiral staircase to the monumental initiatic well that, in the background, leads the visitor through a cave to an amazing lake in the middle of the gardens.
