The National Palace of Pena (Palácio Nacional da Pena) is one of the most famous examples of 19th century romanticism and is located on top of a hill above Sintra, a historic city in Portugal.
Palace is under UNESCO protection and is listed as the ‘Seven Wonders of Portugal’, and is also used by the President during some diplomatic receptions.
Although the location itself was used for hundreds of years (first a church was built and then an important monastery) the estate was turned into a beautiful palace as we see it today only in the 19th century.
Work on the palace began in 1838, and was commissioned by King Ferdinand II of Portugal. Chief the architect and engineer was the Prussian Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege, who preserved some of the existing structures and built new ones around them - so that a fusion of Gothic, Bavarian and Moorish architecture was eventually created.
Pena is open to visitors, and every year it attracts a large number of tourists who want to experience a fairytale experience. And if the palace itself was not enough for them, tourists can walk through the beautiful parks and gardens that surround it and visit the pond full of fountains and sculptures.
Beautiful. I would love to go there and enjoy.