The baroque church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré was founded in 1377 by king Fernando I of Portugal and rebuilt various times over the centuries. Its interior is decorated with azulejos (tiles) depicting biblical scenes, made in 1708 by the Dutch ceramist Willem van der Kloet. Behind the church’s main altar visitors can admire the [...]
Archive for the ‘Portugal’ Category
Monastery of Batalha, Portugal
March 1st, 2010
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The Monastery of Batalha is a Dominican monastery built to commemorate the Portuguese victory over the Castilians in the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. It is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in Portugal, influenced by Manueline art. The Founder’s Chapel, the first royal pantheon in Portugal, holds the tombs of king João [...]
Palácio da Pena, Sintra, Portugal
January 11th, 2010
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The Palácio da Pena, located in Sintra, 15 km from Lisbon, looks like a real fairytale castle. This spectacular monument with its bright red and yellow colors sits on top of a hill in the Serra de Sintra amidst a park covering more than 200 hectares. In 1839, prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha ordered [...]
