The Palace of Mafra: Portugal's Magnificent Palace

The Palace of Mafra was built in the 18th Century and remains the most important baroque monument in Portugal to this day. It was commissioned by King João V as a symbol of his gratitude that he was able to bear children with his wife. The Palace was constructed from marble and limestone and all the building materials were sourced in Portugal which is one of many reasons that the Portuguese feel so connected to the building.

The Palace is truly magnificent and encompasses a Royal Convent as well as a Basilica. It is set over four acres and has an impressive 1200 rooms. There are also 29 courtyards and inner yards within the grounds of the palace. Many of the rooms in the palace are ordained with gold and this came from the large amounts of gold that had been bought into the country from Brazil as the exploration of South America was still going on at this point.

This gold not only makes the Palace look spectacular but it also financed many other aspects of the Palace. Within the Royal Convent, you will see a number of examples of sculptures by the Italian and Portuguese masters of the time. King João V also ordered vestments and other pieces of religious symbolism made from gold and silver, many of which came from France and Italy.

A further legacy of the Palace of Mafra comes from the School of Sculpture that was founded here by Alessandro Giusti. As well as spending time teaching others, Giusti also used some of his time here sculpting the marble alter pieces that can be found within the basilica. A further legacy of the Palace of Mafra comes from the School of Sculpture that was founded here by Alessandro Giusti. As well as spending time teaching others, Giusti also used some of his time here sculpting the marble alter pieces that can be found within the basilica.

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