Pena Palace, Sintra, Portugal

<p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/pt/parques-monumentos/parque-e-palacio-nacional-da-pena/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Pena Palace</a>&nbsp;was originally just a Medieval chapel on a steep hill in Sintra. The chapel was expanded to a monastery in the 16th century. The earthquake of 1755 that leveled Lisbon also destroyed the monastery, although the chapel remained standing.</p> <p>The site stood in ruin for almost 100 years until King Consort Ferdinand acquired it and the surrounding land (including the Castelo dos Mouros) in 1838. The royal palace was completed in 1854. Am&eacute;lie, the last queen of Portugal, spent the night in the Pena Palace before leaving in exile, effectively ending royal rule and beginning the Portuguese First Republic.</p> <p><a href="https://destinationeatdrink.medium.com/pena-palace-sintra-portugal-52858fe8f5f4"><strong>Read More</strong></a></p>