Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to show what a good-spirited guy he was, around each magpie is the king's slogan—
por
bem,
“for good.” The 15th-century Moorish tiles are from Spain, brought in before the
development of the famous, ubiquitous Portuguese tiles, and are considered some of the
finest Moorish-Spanish tiles in all of Iberia.
King's Bedroom:
The king portrayed on the wall where you enter the room is King
Sebastian (Dom Sebastião), a gung-ho, medieval-type monarch who went to battle in
Africa, following the Moors even after they were chased out of Europe. He disappeared
in 1578 at age 24 (although he was almost certainly killed in Morocco, “Sebastianists”
awaited his mythical return into the 19th century). With the king missing, Portugal was
left in unstable times with only Sebastian's great uncle (King Henrique) as heir. The new
king died within two years, and the throne passed to his cousin, King Philip II of Spain,
leading to 60 years of Spanish rule (1580-1640).
Note the ebony, silver, and painted copper headboard of the Italian Renaissance bed.
The tiles in this room are considered the first Portuguese tiles—from the time of Manuel
I. The corn-on-the-cob motif topping the tilework is a reminder of American discoveries.
Wander through more rooms upstairs, and through more quarters to the blue-and-gold...
Stag Room:
The most striking room in the palace honors Portugal's loyal nobility.
Study the richly decorated ceiling. The king's coat of arms at the top is surrounded by the
coats of arms of his children, and below that, the coats of arms of all but one of Portugal's
noble families (the omitted family had schemed a revolt, so received only a blank niche).
The Latin phrase circling the room reads, “Honoring all the noble families who've been
loyal to the king.” The 18th-century tiles hang from the walls like tapestries. Enjoy the
view: a garden-like countryside dotted with mansions of nobility who clamored to be near
their king, the hill-capping castle, and the wide-open Atlantic. You're in the westernmost
room of the westernmost palace on the European continent.
Kitchen:
With all the latest in cooking technology, the palace chef could roast an en-
tire cow on the spit, keep the king's plates warm in the iron dish warmer (with drawers
below for the charcoal), and get really dizzy by looking up and spinning around three
times. OK, you can go now.
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Quinta da Regaleira
—This Neo-everything (Manueline/Gothic/Renaissance) 1912
mansion and garden has mystical and Masonic twists. It was designed by an Italian opera-
set designer for a wealthy but disgruntled monarchist two years after the royal family was
deposed. The two-hour English tour is mostly in the garden (as the palace is quite small)
and can be longish unless you're into quirky Masonic esoterica. If you like fantastic caves,
bring a flashlight and follow the shaded black lines on the provided maps. Ask a local to
pronounce “Regaleira” for you, and just try to repeat it.
