This vast 18th Century Baroque construction encompasses a Royal Palace, a Basilica and a Convent. It is home to important collections of Italian sculpture, Italian and Portuguese paintings, a unique library, two 68metre-tall bell towers, six organs and an 18th-century hospital. It was founded on the order of King D. João V and his queen, Dona Maria Ana of Austria, to satisfy a vow made in 1711 and to give thanks for the birth of their first child. The royal couple endured three years of being childless before making an oath to build a great monastery at Mafra if they succeeded in producing an heir. So in 1717 AD, on the day of the birth of their daughter Dona Maria Pia, the first foundation stones were laid.

It was designed with an obsessive use of geometry and symmetry over a total area of 40,000 sq. metres (48,000 sq. yards). The footprint is a near square at 251 metres (825ft) long by 221 metres (725ft) wide. It has over 4,500 windows and doors throughout 1,200 rooms connected by over 150 flights of stairs. The building is faced with locally quarried Lioz Dourado stone. The whole complex was designed to impress and surpass all other such buildings that came before. It is a superlative example of Baroque opulence that boasts the wealth and power of the Portuguese crown at the time. It was financed by gold that poured into royal coffers from Brazilian mines. Despite this great influx of wealth, King D. João V almost bankrupted Portugal with his ambitious architectural works, such as the one at Mafra.

CONSTRUCTION

The original plans drawn up by the German architect Ludwig were, in comparison, quite modest before the King decided to pull out all the stops and spare no expense. The Italian architect Frederico Ludovice added an Italian feel to the design. During the height of construction, there were over 15,000 masons, craftsmen, sculptors and the like working on the project. It's rumoured that a garrison of 6,000 troops was camped onsite to ensure law and order. Although the majority of construction was completed by 1730 AD work would continue until 1755, five years after King D.João V death, when the devastation wreaked by the Great earthquake required as many workers as possible to rebuild Lisbon.

A ROYAL RESIDENCE

Although only designed as a summer residence, nothing less than 666 rooms would do for the comfort of royal living. As a pious couple, the King and Queen had separate quarters, in two large pavilions that occupy the front corners of the palace. The towers are set 220 metres apart, with a church in the centre. Joining corridors allowed the royal couple to observe church services without having to leave their royal chambers.
Great works of art decorated the royal residences featured many commissioned pieces of art by mainly Portuguese, Italian and French artists, including Cirilo Volkmar Machado and Domingos Sequeira. With the approach of Napoleon's troops, the royal family made a speedy departure from the Palace to Brazil, taking most of the valuable furnishings and works of art with them. However, there remains many considerable pieces. Mafra continued as a Royal residence right up until the end of the Portuguese monarchy, and it was in Mafra where King Manuel II, the last king of Portugal, spent his last night before leaving for exile in 1910.

THE BASILICA

THE MONASTERY

Initially designed to home only 13 monks, Mafra's project experienced successive changes, ending in a huge building of approximately 40.00 m2, with all the facilities for 300 Franciscan monks. The King ensured the support of the convent by financing the project from his own treasury. Monks were given alms twice a year, at Christmas and at St. John's day. The alms consisted of tobacco, paper, linen and burel cloth for the habits. Each brother received two habits that he had to wash and mend himself. 120 wine barrels, 70 olive oil barrels or 600 cows, for instance, were spent each year in the Monastery.

Nearby was the fenced garden, with an orchard, several water tanks and four ballgame fields for the monks' recreation, one for the ring game and two to play a traditional game called "laranjinha". In the early 19th century, during the Peninsular War, the convent was occupied by French troops and later by British allied troops. After the dissolution of the religious orders in Portugal, on 30th May 1834, the Monastery was allocated to the army. Today it remains the headquarters of the School of the Arms. Visitors can visit the Cemetery Chapel and the Infirmary, besides the Chapter Room, the Literary Acts (Examination) Hall, the La Lys staircase and the Refectory.

THE LIBRARY

Occupying the eastern wing of the Mafra complex is the impressive 83-metre main room of the extensive library, easily Portugal's most important monastic/royal library from the 18th century. Monks from the Convent of Arrábida organised the 40,000 volumes, or so, into a collection that survives to this day. The valuable collection includes 16th, 17th and 18th-century books, many of which are extremely rare, such as the 22 foreign incunabula like the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493), and other precious books such as the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by Ortelius (1595) and the Diderot et d'Alembert biographie. Also, a nucleus of scores from musicians such as João de Sousa Carvalho or Marcos Portugal, composed expressly to be played on the Basilica's six organs.

Just like the Joanina Library at Coimbra's University, there's a colony of bats who live in the library and whose job it is to keep insect damage down to a minimum. These busy bats are let out every night and can eat up to twice their body weight in insects. This natural form of pest control has been in place for over 300 years. Each night, workers cover the "bufets" (credenzas) with sheets of leather. Every morning the library is cleaned of bat guano. Wednesday - Monday: 09h00 - 13h00/14h00 - 18h00, Tuesdays: CLOSED.

Adult: €6.00, Child under 6: FREE, Lisbon Card: FREE
Getting There
Campo Grande (Mafrense)

Contact Details
Terreiro D. João V, 2640-492, Mafra, Portugal.
38° 56' 12.8"N | 09° 19' 40.2"W | +351 261 817 550
geral@pnmafra.dgpc.pt |  Website

Five miles north of Mafra is the former Royal Hunting grounds, which are now a place of relaxation and conservation. The 819-hectare estate was created in 1747 to serve the needs of the Palace, the royals and courtiers. It was a favourite playground for King Carlos before he succumbed to a bullet. Nowadays, it is a place with significant biodiversity, including rare species of flora and fauna spread over a varied landscape. Living within its vast forested areas are various species of deer, wild boar and even the elusive Iberian lynx. The park is laid out with a series of walking paths, mountain bike trails and a host of activities for the public to enjoy. Also found within the grounds are the remains of defensive walls and ruined forts known as the Linhas de Torres, built during the Napoleonic Wars to defend Lisbon.
Weekdays: 09h00 - 17h00, Weekends: 09h00 - 18h000.

Contact Details
Tapada Nacional de Mafra - Portão do Codeçal - 2640-602 Mafra, Portugal.
38° 57' 52.8"N | 09° 18' 09.8"W | +351 261 810 100
geral@cm-mafra.pt |  Website

Located within the old town is a charming 13th-century gothic church that has been sensibly restored recently. Inside the Church of Santo André are the tombs of Dom Diogo de Sousa and his wife. Archaeological excavations have discovered that, in the 17th century, it was subjected to alterations, as exemplified by the construction of the domed roof. However, by the end of the 19th century, it had become derelict. Restoration work started in 1903 which continued until 1930. Five years later, the Church of Santo André was recognised as a national monument.

Contact Details
Praça do Município, 2644-001, Mafra, Portugal.
38° 42' 29.8"N | 09° 08' 21.7"W | +351 261 810 100 | geral@cm-mafra.pt

Since 1987 the Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre (IWRC) has been a sanctuary for this unique breed of wolf, which has seen its natural habitat disappear dramatically over the last few centuries. The 17-hectare park provides its resident wolves with the best available care, the IWRC aims to create awareness of the wolf in its natural state and in captivity. During the visits, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the Iberian wolf: the biology, ecology, behaviour and pack life, as well as the threats which face this elusive predator. The enclosures that the wolves occupy are large and densely vegetated, therefore their observation is not guaranteed. The IWRC is open to the public for guided visits on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. All visits are subject to booking. The visits are made on foot through the public portion of the sanctuary and take about 90 minutes.
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: High Season: 16h00 - 20h00, Low Season: 14h30 - 18h000.

Contact Details
Quinta da Murta, Picão, 2665-150 Gradil, Mafra, Portugal.
38° 57' 38.5"N | 09° 16' 17.3"W | +351 261 785 037
crloboiberico@ciencias.ulisboa.pt |  Website