Mafra in Portugal





		Portugal Portugals Top15 Mafra


	One of the biggest buildings of Portugal is the Palácio de Mafra which is set up on a hill over the small town Mafra (11.000 inhabitants). It consists of a monastery, a basilica and a king's palace. With a façade of 220 m the complex seems gigantic and offers superlatives: for 40.000 m ² with about 4.500 windows and doors, 114 church bells. The inside of the basilica is adorned with precious marble and the dome is colossal. The library contains about 30.000 volumes with unusual copies.The building and its furniture was financed with the gold from Brazil.

		When visiting the monastery and the palace, have a look in the hospital with its pharmacy, the audience room and cloisters, the kitchen and a part of the king's palace. The look from the palace into the basilica is particularly impressive. Joào V. swore once to build a monastery and a basilica in gratitude for the birth of a heir. The work started in 1717 and a monastery was planned at first for 30 Franciscan monks; when the building was completed in 1730, it offered place for more than 300 monks. Over 50.000 people worked on this splendid building.