Sao Pedro de Penaferrim in a Day: A Journey Through History and Beauty

Pena Palace is the king's departure palace, its dazzling, peculiar, pretentious figure looks like a paradise castle. The palace itself is a hodgepodge of various architectural styles, including Gothic, Renaissance, Moorish, and Manueline (Manueline, the architectural style of the reign of King Nuel I of Portugal). The brainchild of Ferdinandofsaxe-Coburg-Gotha, husband of Queen Maria II. It is not only a national monument of Portugal, but also one of the seven wonders of Portugal. It is located on the top of a hill in the São Pedro de Penaferrim in Sintra, near Lisbon. It is clearly visible in the city of Lisbon in clear weather. In 1995, it was selected as a World Heritage Site as part of Sintra's Cultural Landscape. It is now frequently used for state activities by the President of Portugal and other government officials. In the Middle Ages, it was only a chapel of Our Lady. In 1493, Joao II and his wife came here for a pilgrimage. His successor, Manuel I, built the monastery. In 1755, the monastery was razed to the ground in the Lisbon earthquake. From 1842 to 1854, great efforts were spent to build the royal summer palace. The architect was Baron von Eschwege, a German, and was finally completed in 1885.

Belém Tower is a classic landmark building in the port of Portugal and a symbol of Lisbon. It has witnessed the voyages and departures, return and reunions of countless ships in Portugal in the era of great sailing. In 1983, the Belém Tower was officially rated as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO, and in 2007 it was named one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. This fortification was ordered by Manuel I between 1514-1520 to commemorate Da Gama's arrival in India, and was later used as a customs house, a telegraph station, and even a lighthouse. The overall building of the Belém Tower is arranged in an "L" shape with five floors. The entire tower is made of white marble. It is a typical Manuel style building: the tower is surrounded by stone ropes, dotted with stone knots, Stone carvings of crosses and some flora and fauna. Among them, the stone rhinoceros at the base is quite eye-catching, built to demonstrate the achievements of Portuguese navigators in exploring overseas. When the sun goes down, the Belém Tower has a unique charm. It is also a pleasant enjoyment to take a walk in the harbor and blow the sea breeze. The barrier crossed the drawbridge, and the main entrance through which came to the Belem Tower barrier. There are a total of 16 artillery positions on the wall for placing cannons to defend against the enemy. In the center of the roof was a Gothic rectangular skylight, which was used as a vent for the ramparts, so that the smoke from the cannon fire could quickly dissipate. There are a number of storage rooms under the floor of the rampart, a large one can be reached from the stairs on the north side. Platform A steep staircase to the right of the main entrance to the Tower of Belém leads to a platform at the top of the rampart, which is polygonal in shape and has a sentry box at each corner with lookout windows and a pepper-box roof. In the center of the platform is a ring of balustrades surrounding the patio below, and on the south side of the balustrade is a statue of Our Lady of Victory. On the rampart platform, you can admire the south façade of the Tower of Belém up close. The balconies and railings are decorated with stone carvings, which are very beautiful. Among them, the stone carvings of the shield of King Manuel I are particularly eye-catching, and the top of the shield is decorated with flowers and plants. The stone carvings are embellished, lifelike. At the top of the tower, go up the stairs on the right side of the platform, and you can enter the interior of the tower of Belém. Follow the spiral staircase to the top platform of the tower, and you can see the beautiful scenery of the port of Lisbon: the Tagus River, the Geronimoche Monastery, the nautical monument, the big Jesus statue on the opposite bank, the April 25 Bridge, etc. From the bottom of the eye, the sailboats drifting by the sea from time to time are also a beautiful scenery. Belem tower top platform is very windy, please pay attention to wind protection and warmth.

The Jeronimos Monastery is located in the Belém district. This grand white building is a conspicuous landmark of the port city. Together with the church of the Knights of Santa Maria, it is called the culmination of the history of medieval architecture. In 1983, together with the nearby Tower of Belém, it was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and the navigator da Gama is also buried here. Brilliant History The Jeronimos Monastery was built in 1501. King Manuel I presided over the construction in commemoration of Da Gama's significant voyage. It took nearly 100 years before and after. The door wall connecting the church and the monastery is more than 100 meters long, occupying almost the entire street. This majestic momentum also highlights the unrivaled maritime hegemony of Portugal in the past. There is not enough open space in front of the monastery. It is difficult to take a panoramic view, but you don't have to struggle. The exquisite carvings on the outer wall are enough to make people stop and taste for a long time. Being given life is generally lifelike. The south gate of the monastery is ornately decorated with exquisite carvings. The south gate is two stories high and there are many fine reliefs above. Among them, the emblem of Manuel I is engraved on the spandrel in the middle, and the relief above the arch depicts St. The scenes of Ronimo pulling the thorns for the lion and San Jeronimo in the desert are exquisitely sculpted. Although the main entrance is not as gorgeous as the south gate, it is also very unique. The scene of the birth of Jesus is carved above the arch. On both sides of the gate are Manuel I, the Virgin Mary, Saint Jerome, Saint John and other saints. statue. The nave of the monastery is spacious and holy. The Gothic hall has a high vaulted ceiling. The altar in the center of the hall is decorated with gold and green carvings, and the altar next to it has a statue of St. Jeronimo made of red-red glazed porcelain. The Church of the Knights of Santa Maria next to the monastery of the Knights of Santa Maria is also worth seeing. As soon as you enter the door, you can see the sarcophagus of Da Gama, and on the other side is buried the Portuguese poet Camos, whose The works represent the high achievement of Renaissance Portuguese literature. The chapel is very ornately decorated, and the huge transept roof in front of the altar, which is not supported by any pillars, can be described as an engineering miracle in the Middle Ages and was once regarded as a classic. There is a crucifix on the second floor. From the exquisite cloister, you can overlook the elegant view of the monastery courtyard. It is very Portuguese. You may stop here and watch it.

Cape Roca is about 40 kilometers from Lisbon, located in the west of Sintra in the Lisbon district, and belongs to the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. It is a narrow cliff about 140 meters above sea level at the western tip of Portugal, once considered the end of the world. Compared with other coasts, Cape Roca is indeed different. The steep cliffs are like lonely arms reaching out to the vast Atlantic Ocean. When you look down, you can see the vertical towering cliffs. Walking on them is like walking to the horizon. The sea and sky are the same color, and the scenery is magnificent It is wide open, and you can enjoy the beautiful sunrise and sunset views here. Guardrails are built around the cliffs to prevent accidents for visitors.

Alfama Old Town is an ancient area of Lisbon with many historical monuments. It is located on a small hill in the Tejo Bay. The hillsides here are undulating, there are countless winding stone steps and alleys, and the old houses have strong colored outer walls, exuding a retro charm everywhere. There are many grocery stores on both sides of the streets in the old city that maintain the same appearance as they used to be, full of food and daily necessities. There are many bars and cafés, and it is the ideal place for Lisbon's nightlife.