Mafra National Palace

The Palácio Nacional de Mafra to German Mafra National Palace is the largest palace and monastery of Portugal. The building was designed by the Swabian architect Johann Friedrich Ludwig and built 1717-1730 in 13 - year construction period during the reign of John V. in the style of the Baroque. It is located in the municipality of Mafra, about 50 kilometers north of Lisbon.

1711 promised the king, a monastery in honor of St Anthony of Padua to donate. It should be initially determined for 13 Capuchins. The revenue from gold from Brazil allowed a far more complex structure for 330 monks. The architect was guided by Pietro Bernini, Francesco Borromini and Carlo Fontana. The construction work continued after the inauguration of the palace until 1755.

On the construction of up to 45,000 workers and 7,000 soldiers were involved.

The facade is 220 meters long, the palace has approximately 38,000 m², 1,200 rooms and 156 staircases alone. There are two carillons à 48 bells of Antwerp and in the church are six organs. The library contains 40,000 volumes.

The construction of the castle were presented The Memorial (1982 ) from the perspective of the common people by the Portuguese Nobel literature laureate Jose Saramago 's novel.