Buçaco Palace

The Royal Palace of Buçaco, located on the Buçaco Woods, in Mealhada department, was projected in the end of the 19th century, by the Italian architect Luigi Manini, but also had interventions by the Architects Nicola Bigaglia, Manuel Joaquim Norte Júnior and José Alexandre Soares.

Classified as a Public Interest Building since 1996, it is integrated into an architectonic and landscape set considered to be unique in Europe, and the hotel here installed is considered to be one of the most beautiful historical hotels in the world.

The palace’s architecture is characterized by a mixture of elements gathered in monuments such as the Belém Tower, the Jerónimos Monastery or the Convent of Christ in Tomar, decorated in its interior with glazed tiles pannels, frescos and paintings allusive to the golden times of the Portuguese Discoveries.
These works of art are all signed by great Portuguese Masters, the glazed tiles by Jorge Colaço, the sculptures by António Gonçalves and Costa Mota, the paintings by João Vaz and Carlos Reis, the frescos by António Ramalho.
The furniture also constitutes an important heritage, with Portuguese pieces and also indo-Portuguese, Chinese and also several tapestries.
Yet, the very own beauty of this Palace is completed by the Gardens of the Park that magically surrounds it.
Domain of the Santa Cruz do Buçaco Convent, of the Barefoot Carmelites, founded in 1634, this is considered to be the biggest architectonic set ever built by this Order.

In the Buçaco Woods, apart from the Convent, were built 11 isolated chapels, of which only two are well conserved, four chapels, a Via Sacra itinerary with about three kilometres, a genius water good use that lead to the construction of fountains, lakes and a waterfall, all accommodated with a diversified vegetation, that is definitely a very important heritage.