Monserrate Palace
Monserrate Palace | |
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Palácio de Monserrate | |
General information | |
Status | Property of Public Interest[1] |
Architectural style | Eclecticism |
Town or city | Sintra |
Country | Portugal |
Construction started | 1863 |
Owner | Portuguese State |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | James Thomas Knowles (1806–1884) |
Website | |
parquesdesintra | |
Part of | Cultural Landscape of Sintra |
Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iv), (v) |
Reference | 723 |
Inscription | 1995 (19th Session) |
Portuguese National Monument | |
Type | Non-movable |
Criteria | Monument of Public Interest |
Designated | 12 September 1978 |
Reference no. | IPA.00004069 |
The Monserrate Palace (
History
According to legend, there was a chapel dedicated to
An English merchant named Gerard de Visme rented the farm in 1789
The design was influenced by
The property and hunting grounds were acquired by the Portuguese state in 1949.[4] In 1978[2] the Park and Palace of Monserrate were categorized as a building of public interest.[6] In 1995 Sintra Mountains, including the Park of Monserrate, was defined as a World Heritage Cultural Landscape by UNESCO. The management of the Park of Monserrate was taken over by the Sintra Park in 2000 and its recovery and restoration program enabled the Palace to re-open to the public.[4] In 2013 the Park of Monserrate was honored with European Garden Award under the category of “Best Development of a Historic Park or Garden”.[4]
Park
The terrace leads out into the large park. It is designed in a romantic style with a lake, several springs and fountains, grottoes, and is surrounded by lush greenery with rare species.
The garden is full of plants organized according to geographical areas. There are naturally grown regional strawberry and holly bushes, cork oaks; araucaria and palm trees, tree ferns from Australia and New Zealand; and agaves and yuccas from Mexico. There are camellias, azaleas, rhododendrons, bamboos as well representing Japan.[4]
Farmyard
The Farmyard of Monserrate covers an area around 2 hectares including native trees and a water line. It is like a small farm with various types of plants and fields for livestock. The farmyard has a renewable energy system, so it is entirely self-sufficient in terms of energy.[6]
The former house built in the 19th century was restored and furnished with equipment for educational activities, or kitchen workshops.[6] There are orchard and vegetable patches, are of wild plants and berries, as well as cereals and aromatic plants in the farmyard. Plantation area is surrounded with the fields of horses, donkeys and sheep, besides a rabbit hutch, and a poultry coop. There is also a picnic area, an open-air amphitheater and a barn.[6]
The stream runs through the farmyard and takes its water supply from natural springs of Monserrate Hunting Grounds. The stream has also been restored, and now amphibians and water animals get benefit of it.[4]
Totem
The sculpture has 7.5 metres height and was made of the trunk of a fifty years old eucalyptus tree with a chainsaw. The tree had no chance to survive due to serious infestation by wood-decay fungus, therefore with an intervention it was kept instead of being cut. The tree was made the object of specific natural values of Sintra Mountains.[7]
The totem of the farmyard of Monserrate was created by a Welsh artist (Nansi Hemming) who is experienced at wood sculpturing. The natural values portrayed on the totem are: Bonelli's eagle; Lesser horseshoe bat; Stage beetle; Badger; Egyptian mongoose; Lataste's viper; Mottled owl; Eurasian eagle owl; Fire salamander; Tarantula hawk; Marsh fritillary; Genet; and relict forest of Oak, Arbutus, European Holly and Ivy-leaved-fern.[8]
The Off-Grid Farmyard
Renewable energy project “Off-Grid Farmyard” is implemented at the Farmyard of Monserrate in order to produce electricity to meet the consumption of the Farmyard. Renewable energy is produced through 3 different sources in the Farmyard: wind power – with an air generator; hydropower – with a water turbine; solar power – with a set of photovoltaic panels.[9]
Infrastructure and equipment for “Off-grid Farmyard” was installed in 2012 under the framework of BIO+Sintra project financed by the LIFE programme of the European Commission and run by Sintra Park – Monte da Lua.[9]
Images
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Hallway
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Fountain in central hallway
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Library
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Park
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Interior view of the main dome
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Water fountain outside the Palace
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Window of Monserrate Palace
See also
References
- ^ "Palácio de Monserrate, com os seus jardins e mata". www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2017-09-11.
- ^ a b "DGPC | Pesquisa Geral". www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2017-09-11.
- ^ a b "History | Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua". Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua. 2016-02-25. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Descrição | Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua". Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua (in European Portuguese). 2013-07-10. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
- ^ "Monserrate Palace - Sintra Romântica". www.sintraromantica.net. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
- ^ a b c d "Description | Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua". Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua. 2015-08-25. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
- ^ "Points of Interest | Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua". Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua. 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
- ^ "Totem | Points of Interest | Parques de Sintra". Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua. 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ a b "Off-Grid Farmyard | Points of Interest | Parques de Sintra". Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua. 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
External links
Media related to Palácio de Monserrate at Wikimedia Commons