What to see in Mafra, an itinerary to discover the monastery and national palace, erected as a prize by the Portuguese king to his wife Maria Anna of Austria for having given him the heir he desired.
Tourist information
Small center of Portugal located near Lisbon, Mafra is famous for its National Palace, an extensive monastery built in the eighteenth century following a vote expressed by John V.
The works of this grandiose building, characterized by an area of over forty thousand square meters, began in 1711, when the Portuguese king learned that his wife Maria Anna D'Austria was expecting a baby from him, the future princess Maria Barbara of Braganza.
Thanks to the economic prosperity experienced by the country in the following years, the convent was enlarged considerably, until it reached its present size.
About 45,000 men were involved in its construction, using materials of Brazilian and Italian origin.
What see
The palace also represented an outpost for hunting in the nearby woods, it was also used by the royal family as a secondary residence.
The vast complex is among the most sumptuous Baroque monuments in Portugal.
The building includes the Basilica of Our Lady and Saint Anthony, as well as two main towers.
The structures of the convent are located behind the entrance facade.
In the same building there is a library of great historical value, containing about 30,000 rare volumes.
