Royal Palace of Sintra

A cultural landscape is a site in which the interaction between humans and environment is visible, showing the creative genius, the social development and the spiritual vitality and imagination of mankind. There are 82 inscribed to the list of the World Heritage, with 4 transboundary sites (1 delisted)

The cultural landscape of Sintra is inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1995. During the XIXth century the city and its surroundings become the first center of the romantic architecture in Europe. Fernando II rebuilds a monastery to make a castle combining Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance elements, and creates a park blending local and exotic species. The combination of several fine dwellings along the mountain range creates a unique set of parks and gardens which had an impact on the development of landscape architecture in Europe

I personally prefer the Royal Palace, (XV-XVIth century) to the Pena Palace (XIXth century), which is the one motivating the inscription on the list, but each has its interesting elements. It is a nice trip from Lisbon.

Property limits and buffer zone. The area is hughe, as it covers a mountain landscape extending towards the sea.

The city of Sintra form the Royal Palace. On top of the hill is a Moorish fort

The valleys and fine residences