Sintra National Palace

About this place

This royal residence was occupied over many centuries, preserving an important record of Portugal's medieval court. Later rulers adapted and decorated it while retaining older spaces. Explore the sequence of rooms to see how a palace could evolve with changing royal tastes and ceremonial needs. The palace was used from at least the early 15th century into the late 19th century, an unusually long continuity for a medieval royal residence. That history makes it valuable for understanding change within a familiar setting. The succession of spaces reflects centuries of occupation rather than the ambitions of only one ruler.