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Palace of Mafra

Terreiro Dom João V, Mafra, Lisboa

Description

The Palace of Mafra is an 18th-century Baroque and Neoclassical palace-monastery of monumental proportions (there are 1,200 rooms, 156 stairways, and 29 inner yards and courtyards). It was commissioned by King John V and mostly built using Lioz stone. The façade is 220m wide and flanked by square tower with bulbous domes, denoting a Central European influence (the designer was German). Othe notable architectural features include the 88m-long library containing 36,000 leather-bound volumes and the 70m-high cupola of the basilica.

Access & Transport

The place is in the town of Mafa itself, 40km northwest of Lisbon and 20km north of Sintra

Instructions & Recommendations

We would not recommend visiting on the same day as the Palace of Queluz or the Palace of Sintra

Meta review

The Palace gets excellent online reviews but is clearly not as well-known as the Sintra complexes. Visitors mention that one should not expect to see lavishly furnished rooms but rather should be ready for a huge building, quite a lot of history, and an amazing library (singled out as the most impressive room by many reviewers). Some regular comments that the basilica is closed around lunch time.

Environmental & Social

Some serious electricity consumption considering the size but reasonable on a per-visitor basis. Part of the country's architectural and historical heritages

Conclusion

The National palace of Mafra is an excellent alternative to Queluz and Sintra. Possibly more impressive in terms of scale but less luxurious inside. Definitely worth a visit and affordably priced.

Key positive

Stunning library and façade

Not too crowded

Key negative

None

Suitability

Not yet fully wheelchair accessible but work in progress

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

August 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit
Last admission 1h before closing

av. transport time:0h 40m

est. visit time:2h

Regulated hours

Monday09:30 - 17:30

Tuesday -

Wednesday09:30 - 17:30

Thursday09:30 - 17:30

Friday09:30 - 17:30

Saturday09:30 - 17:30

Sunday09:30 - 17:30

Pricing
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
€4
Adult
18 - 64
€8
Teen & Young
12 - 17
€4
Child
3 - 11
€0
Infant
0 - 2
€0

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