We are one of the most picky tourists when it comes to traveling, but we are also very flexible. It doesn’t matter if the attraction is a huge cathedral, castle, simple house, museum or a cafe. The key criterion is the interest, originality and of course, beauty. And we certainly like luxury, in culture, in decorations, in history, in everything. The Palace of the Marquises is one of those few places that fits into all categories.
Palace of the Marquises was specially built for the first Fronteira Marquis, D. João de Mascarenhas, in 1640.
Don’t be surprised to see the palace in such a good state. It has been restored in the 18th century. This is why the Rocaille style has been preserved. One of the most popular parts of the decorations is the tiles. Lisbon, generally, has pages of history and skills in creating superb images with tiles. If the topic interests you, consider the Tile Museum as the next destination.
The garden is also worth mentioning. It’s 5,5 hectares and looks like a piece of paradise in the middle of a cultural city. The bright colors of the building make the scene even more perfect. The garden is a beautiful contrast to the rest of the capital. Although Lisbon is very diverse any way, there is Alfama, Barrio Alto, Chiada, in a word, each neighborhood is great for living and exploring, but this palace brings the best natural scent, very fresh and pleasant.
Next important point is the Chapel. It dates back to the 16th century, so, do the math and you’ll see that it’s even older than the palace. One of the best artworks of the chapel, the nativity scene, was probably created by a very famous and unique artist, Machado de Castro, best players of Lisbon architecture.
While strolling through the luxurious rooms, don’t get too carried away with feeling yourself at home. After all, you’re at someone else’s house. The resident of this beautiful palace is the 12th Fronteira Marquis. Therefore, the whole palace is not open for the public eye, only some rooms and the garden. As this tourist attraction is also a home, it might be closed at noon. So make sure to visit either in the mornings or after 14:00 pm. You definitely won’t need the whole day, you can if you particularly like this palace but 3 hours are more than enough to look around the rooms and enjoy the garden.
There might also be a couple of swans in the garden, so make sure to have a small snack (a piece of bread will be enough) to treat them.
If you are a man and you are going to visit Lisbon with family, be careful with ambitions. Not all women can pass by this palace without a single emotion or wish. The building looks like an ideal house for an ideal lady. If your lady falls in love with the place but you’re fortunately not married yet, then I have a great idea for you too. There were already a few weddings in the garden of this palace. You can be the next couple to form a family here.
If you’re not ready yet, you can always spend some good doze of taking pictures and romantic time here, in the beautiful Palace of the Marquises.
