REPORTING – The last official residence of the kings of Portugal, Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, is displayed in the splendor typical of the end of the 19th centurye century, like King Louis Ithis one and Queen Maria Pia of Savoy.
Why does Palácio Nacional da Ajuda evoke thousands of others without being a twin to any? Like its neighbor Jardim Botânico, founded by the Marquis of Pombal in 1768, it is a balcony on the Tagus, majestically perched on the heights of the neighborhood it takes its name from, above Belém. But depending on whether one approaches its enormous quadrangle from the east or the west, the impression it gives changes completely.
On the east side, its long rectilinear facade flanked by square towers, with a central body decorated with columns and topped with a gable, gives off a neoclassical style. We cross its arcades and find ourselves under vaults with columns in which statues are placed, which provide access to the central courtyard. There is also Caserta, the Neapolitan Bourbon Palace and even the Vienna Hofburg.
Ajuda: Tuileries in Lisbon?
On the west side, however, there is a unique modern facade, completed in 2021 after three years of work, which reveals the palace’s rich history: designed in recent years…
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