What you are looking at is one of the main reasons that helped destroy the Portuguese economy. Constructed during the 18th Century reign of wild-spending Dom Jaoa V, the mammoth Baroque palace is a combination of palace, monastery and basilica. Covering almost 4 sq km. built from mock marble, the symmetrical structure centres on the basilica. It is the extravagance that stuns, rather than the architecture. As gold poured in from Brasil into the Kings coffers, he found ways to make if flow out again. The initial design for 13 monks was expanded to house 280 monks. No expense was spared to build its 1200 halls and rooms, over 4700 doorways and 2500 windows.
Up to 20,000 artisans (including Italian carpenters and masons) worked on the monument - a mind boggling 45,000 in the last two years of construction, all of them kept in order by 7000 soldiers. After all this, it was only briefly used as a palace. The royal family visited for short periods. When the French invaded Portugal, the king and the royal family fled to Brasil. When the french arrived here they found only 20 elderly fraciscan friars. each room was just extraordinary and i could not help but stop in my tracks with amazement. the ceilings are the most beautiful things i saw. The Kings bedroom was a site for sore eyes. Biggest bed i have ever seen hehe. Even his toilet was extravagent. Will not forget the palace. Take time to google it (mafra - national palace).
Up to 20,000 artisans (including Italian carpenters and masons) worked on the monument - a mind boggling 45,000 in the last two years of construction, all of them kept in order by 7000 soldiers. After all this, it was only briefly used as a palace. The royal family visited for short periods. When the French invaded Portugal, the king and the royal family fled to Brasil. When the french arrived here they found only 20 elderly fraciscan friars. each room was just extraordinary and i could not help but stop in my tracks with amazement. the ceilings are the most beautiful things i saw. The Kings bedroom was a site for sore eyes. Biggest bed i have ever seen hehe. Even his toilet was extravagent. Will not forget the palace. Take time to google it (mafra - national palace).
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