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Description
The Sintra National Palace, also called Town Palace is located in the town of Sintra, in Portugal near Lisbon.

It is the best preserved mediaeval Royal Palace in Portugal, having been inhabited more or less continuously at least from the early 15th up to the late 19th century. It is an important tourist attraction and is part of the Cultural landscape of Sintra, designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The history of the Sintra Palace goes back to the times of Islamic domination, when Sintra had two different castles. One of them, located on top of a hill overlooking Sintra is the so-called Castle of the Moors, which is now a romantic ruin. The other, located downhill, was the residence of the Moorish rulers of the region. Its first historical reference dates from the 10th century by Arab geographer Al-Bacr.

In the 12th century, when the village was conquered by King Afonso Henriques, the King took the residence in his possession. The mixture of Gothic, Manueline and Moorish styles in the present palace is, however, mainly the result of building campaigns in the 15th and early 16th centuries.

Description
The Sintra National Palace, also called Town Palace is located in the town of Sintra, in Portugal near Lisbon.

It is the best preserved mediaeval Royal Palace in Portugal, having been inhabited more or less continuously at least from the early 15th up to the late 19th century. It is an important tourist attraction and is part of the Cultural landscape of Sintra, designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The history of the Sintra Palace goes back to the times of Islamic domination, when Sintra had two different castles. One of them, located on top of a hill overlooking Sintra is the so-called Castle of the Moors, which is now a romantic ruin. The other, located downhill, was the residence of the Moorish rulers of the region. Its first historical reference dates from the 10th century by Arab geographer Al-Bacr.

In the 12th century, when the village was conquered by King Afonso Henriques, the King took the residence in his possession. The mixture of Gothic, Manueline and Moorish styles in the present palace is, however, mainly the result of building campaigns in the 15th and early 16th centuries.