Explore the “Versailles of Portugal,” a palace built for parties!
The National Palace of Queluz is about halfway between Central Lisbon and the tourist hotspot of Sintra. Construction on Queluz started in 1747 by Prince Pedro (future Pedro III). When he married the heir to the throne (and his niece, by the way), Princess Maria (future Maria I) in 1760, a new phase of construction and design began. As a result, the design of the palace is mostly Rococo and a bit of Neoclassical. Rococo is a French style of the late Baroque, popular in the 1750s-1760s. It’s still insane like Baroque, but its not as heavy and is much brighter. Rooms have large windows and typically are painted or frescoed in pastel colors. Rococo loves a good pastel color. Queluz ended up being one of the last palaces in the Rococo style constructed. However, many of the private apartments in the palace are in the Neoclassical style.
The palace was built to be a palace of entertainment away from the normal people in Lisbon, a summer retreat. Concerts, fireworks displays, horse racing, and bullfights were hosted here. However by 1792, Pedro III was dead and buried (1786) and Maria I was not having a good run of it. She descended into madness after Pedro died and she was primarily kept at Queluz while her son, John (future John VI), served as regent. (Maria is a very distant cousin of George III. He suffered from a very similar illness and his son had to serve as regent as well.)
In 1807, the whole royal family fled to Brazil when Napoleon’s troops showed up. On their return in 1821, John was king and exiled Queen Consort Charlotte to the same palace his mother was kept, although for different reasons. She, of course, made some changes to the palace as well.
Tip: The same train line stops in Queluz. But by no means should you expect to visit Queluz and all of Sintra on the same day. I spent three hours at the palace and I only saw about half the gardens. Half a day at Queluz and one attraction in Sintra is maybe doable. I recommend just going back to Central Lisbon and saving an entire day for Sintra.
The back side of the palace is a bit subdued, still gorgeous though with its light blue color. Annoyingly though, the entire area is used as a parking lot. Kind of ruins the view.
You can really tell that these rooms are mostly lit by natural light. This room has a nature/hunting theme.
The wall fresco features a balustrade with a garden behind. There are hunting dogs along the ceiling fresco.
Definitely has a Versailles feel in this ballroom. However, the comparison with Queluz with Versailles is a bit confusing. They are different styles, about a hundred years apart and Queluz is a fraction of the size of Versailles. Maybe it’s because they are both French styles and both have formal gardens.
The doors along one side are mirrored like those of Versailles.
The Music Room, where grand concerts are still held.
A bit calmer in the Lantern Room, named for the skylight installed in 1807 during the French invasion.
And back to the insane with the chapel. It was the first part of the palace to be completed. Pedro III and Maria I would attend mass multiple times a day.
Absolutely insane.
The Boudoir of the Apartments of Princess Maria Francisca Benedita, the younger sister of Maria I.
The Smoking Room, where men would go smoke after meals. I think that painting in the back is John VI.
Neoclassical and pastel colors, this room fits right in.
The Neoclassical style of the late 18th century is inspired by the Ancient Roman styles found at Pompeii, which was recently discovered.
The Snack Room, the private dining room of the royal family. I’m sorry, but I’m finding the name of this room hilarious.
Some fancy Neoclassical porcelain. The palace’s porcelain collection is displayed in the room through those doors.
The “simple” exterior continues in this tiny courtyard.
Sala de Mangas (Corridor of the Sleeves, another hilarious room name).
The top azulejo panels depict scenes featuring the Four Seasons and the Four Continents from 1784.
The bottom azulejos panels from 1764 depict scenes of hunting and daily life. This room was used to store glass sleeves that keep candles away from drafts. Hence, the name.
The Private Room. It was used as a meeting room or library during the 19th century. The room is currently furnished in the French Empire style, a style much of the palace would incorporate. I find it hilarious because French Empire style is tied to Napoleon, whose troops ran off the Portuguese royal family. But that didn’t stop them from adopting the style and/or keep it.
Now for the splendid Ambassadors’ Hall.
A closer look at the thrones. This room served as a music room as well at some point.
The central ceiling painting shows the royal family, then headed by Maria I’s father and Pedro III’s brother, watching a musical soiree.
There is a mirror image of the throne dais on the other side of the room. The one above has a door open on the right. This one does not. It also has fancier chairs for the monarchs.
The Waiting Room for the Ambassadors’ Hall. The scenes are of Romantic depictions of ruins.
I love those mirrors above the doors.
A very fancy dining room.
The Don Quixote Room, which is decorated with scenes from the life of Don Quixote, the main character in Miguel de Cervantes’ book. This room served as the main room in the royal quarters. Even though it looks round, the room is completely square. The ceiling messes with your mind.
Speaking of the ceiling.
Scenes from Don Quixote are featured above the doors.
The Dressing Room. It was originally designed as a dressing room for Pedro III and Maria I. It later served as a bedroom for John VI. Not sure if he was a child or an adult when that happened.
This would have been a small bedroom for an adult. That floor is gorgeous though.
That ceiling is wonderful.
Now we are moving outside to the Tiled Canal in the gardens.
The fanciest canal I’ve ever seen.
The exterior of the palace is a combination of yellow and dark blue. As you can see, much fancier that the side only the riffraff see.
The gardens are quite nice even in the rain. What I saw (I don’t think they were fully open when I visited), the gardens are lovely decorative hedges and fountains.
The southern facing facades of the palace are wonderfully gorgeous.
The hedges are cut into decorative designs.
Simply amazing.
My favorite part of the facade on the eastern wing of the palace.
The National Palace of Queluz was one of my favorite palaces I visited in Portugal. The palace is gorgeous and the gardens are fantastic. If I end up in Lisbon again in the future, I’m definitely visiting here again, but hopefully then, it wouldn’t be raining.
Tune in for my next update where I explore another palace, the National Palace of Ajuda!
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