On the right bank of the broad Tagus river estuary, the capital of Portugal graciously reclines over rolling hills. The narrow twisting alleys of the medieval districts bestow Lisbon with the peculiar atmosphere of a city perched somewhere between the European north and the Mediterranean south.

Casa dos Bicos is a historical house in the Alfama neighbourhood, in the city of Lisbon. Built in the early 16th century, the house has a façade of Renaissance and Manueline influence.

The earthquake that stroke Lisbon in 1755 significantly destroyed the building, including the main façade and the two upper storeys. The house was later used as a storage house for bacalhau (codfish).

It was acquired in the second half of the 20th century by the Lisbon Municipality. In the 1980s,  it was restored and partially rebuilt, based on pre-1755 drawings and paintings.

Founded in 1147, Lisbon Cathedral (Sé de Lisboa) is one of the city’s great landmarks and also one of the symbols of the Christian Reconquest of the territory. The Cathedral was built when the first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques, conquered the city from the Moors, in 1147. Previously, the site was occupied by a Muslim mosque.

In architectural terms, it was originally built in accordance with the Romanesque style of that time, a style that can also be seen at the old cathedral in Coimbra, although in the following centuries it underwent a major transformation with additions being made in the Gothic style.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, alterations were made in the baroque style, especially affecting the decoration of the altars and chancel. In the first half of the 20th century, work was carried out to restore the cathedral’s mediaeval aspect.

OTHER WORKS FROM THE LISBON AREA:

Capital and gateway to the north of Portugal, also known as Oporto, is both the city that provided a nation with a name and a fortified wine known world-wide: Port.

With its splendid geographical location on the mouth of the river Douro and an architectural heritage of exceptional quality, the historic centre of Oporto was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 1996. Oporto is the capital of the North and the second largest city in the country. 

The Church of Clérigos (Ecclesiastics) is a genuine baroque masterpiece dating from the mid-18th century. It was designed by Nicolau Nasoni, an architect of Italian origin. He stamped his mark on many monuments around Oporto and the north of Portugal. 

However, what sets this construction apart is the Tower; constructed in granite protruding out of the top of the western side of the church. This is the highly distinctive landmark of Oporto. The tower extends upwards through 75 metres of elegance forming rhythmic stages before rising to its crowning glory, the spherical clock house. The baroque decoration is thoroughly delicate and off a wonderful lightness.

A beautiful town at the foot of the mountain range of the same name, its unique characteristics have led UNESCO to classify it as a World heritage site. 

In 1995, Sintra gained the UNESCO Cultural Landscape classification. The town and the northern slope of the Serra de Sintra with its wonderful natural characteristics and impressive historic landmarks were thus accepted as worthy of world heritage status.

From early times, Sintra has been the place of choice for the settlement of various peoples who have passed through the Iberian Peninsula and left traces of their presence.

Much appreciated by kings and nobles as a country resort, and praised by writers and poets like (inevitably) Lord Byron who called it "glorious Eden", Sintra has a wealth of cottages and manor houses, some of which now provide accommodation in the form of country-house tourism.

Sintra's defining era proved to be the 19th century when it was swept up in the Romantic movement. Dating from this period are the Pena Palace, the Monserrate Palace, the estates Quinta da Regaleira and Quinta do Relógio, among others. 

In fact, the fantastic Palácio da Pena is one of the best examples of 19th-century Romantic revivalism in Portugal. Situated at the top of the Monte da Pena, the palace was built on the site of an old monastery belonging to the Order of St. Jerome. It was the fruit of the imagination of Dom Fernando of Saxe Coburg-Gotha, who married the queen Dona Maria II in 1836. After falling in love with Sintra, he decided to buy the convent and the surrounding land to build a summer palace for the royal family. 

The interior of the palace is still decorated according to the tastes of the kings and queens who lived there, and its great highlight is the chapel, where it is still possible to see a magnificent alabaster altarpiece attributed to Nicolau Chanterenne (one of the architects of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, in Lisbon).

OTHER WORKS FROM SINTRA: