Pena Palace
Considered a major expression of 19th Century Romanticism in Portugal, the Pena National Palace serves as a national monument in the city of Sintra. The palace was originally built under the initiative of D. Fernando of Saxe Coburg-Gotha, who later married Queen Mary II. King Fernando was overcome by the old ruins of a convent that fell during the 1755 earthquake of Lisboa. With only the chapel remaining, the ruins sat on a steep mountain. The king acquired the land and soon construction on the palace was underway. Today, nearly the entire palace stands on enormous rocks. It is opened to the public and is part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra.
