Cultural Landscape of Sintra
Sintra, Portugal
16.09.2014
The Cultural Landscape of Sintra – A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Sintra, located in the Lisbon District of Portugal, is a town known for its stunning palaces, gardens, and natural landscapes. However, what makes it truly unique is its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its rich cultural history and preserved architectural wonders. Let's take a closer look at this magical town and its fascinating past.
Sintra's history dates back to the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century. It was then known as Xintara and served as a key military and strategic location. However, it wasn't until the 12th century that Sintra began to flourish as a royal retreat. King Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, was enamored by the town's natural beauty and decided to make it his summer residence.
Over the centuries, Sintra became a favorite among Portuguese royalty, with each monarch adding their own touch to the town's landscapes and architecture. One of the most iconic landmarks of Sintra is the Pena Palace, a colorful and eclectic palace built in the 19th century by King Ferdinand II. The palace is a blend of Neo-Gothic, Neo-Renaissance, and Neo-Islamic styles and is surrounded by lush gardens that offer breathtaking views of the town.
Besides the Pena Palace, Sintra is also home to other architectural wonders, such as the Castle of the Moors and the National Palace of Sintra. These structures are a testament to the town's cultural and historical significance, and have been well-preserved to this day.
But it's not just the man-made structures that make Sintra a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town is also renowned for its stunning natural landscapes, including the Serra de Sintra mountain range and the lush forests that surround the town. These landscapes have been a source of inspiration for artists and writers throughout the centuries, and it's not hard to see why.
Today, Sintra continues to attract visitors from all over the world, who come to marvel at its beautiful palaces, gardens, and landscapes. If you ever find yourself in Portugal, a visit to this enchanting town is a must.
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In the 19th century Sintra became the first centre of European Romantic architecture. Ferdinand II turned a ruined monastery into a castle where this new sensitivity was displayed in the use of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance elements and in the creation of a park blending local and exotic species of trees. Other fine dwellings, built along the same lines in the surrounding serra , created a unique combination of parks and gardens which influenced the development of landscape architecture throughout Europe.
Sintra (, Portuguese: [ˈsĩtɾɐ] ) is a town and municipality in the Greater Lisbon region of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The population of the municipality in 2021 was 385,654, in an area of 319.23 square kilometres (123.26 sq mi). Sintra is one of the most urbanized and densely populated municipalities of Portugal. A major tourist destination famed for its picturesqueness, the municipality has several historic palaces, castles, scenic beaches, parks and gardens.
The area includes the Sintra-Cascais Nature Park through which the Sintra Mountains run. The historic center of the Vila de Sintra is famous for its 19th-century Romanticist architecture, historic estates and villas, gardens, and royal palaces and castles, which resulted in the classification of the town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sintra's landmarks include the medieval Castle of the Moors, the romanticist Pena National Palace and the Portuguese Renaissance Sintra National Palace.
Sintra is one of the wealthiest municipalities in both Portugal and the Iberian Peninsula as a whole. It is home to one of the largest foreign expatriate communities along the Portuguese Riviera, and consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Portugal. The ECB Forum on Central Banking, an annual event organised by the European Central Bank, is held in Sintra.
