PALÁCIO FRONTEIRA

This palace is one of the most beautiful in the country, built in the 17th century by the first Marquis da Fronteira, D. João Mascarenhas. Built in the ^17th century by the first Marquis da Fronteira, D. João Mascarenhas, it is one of the country's most beautiful residences, and is still inhabited by his descendants. Hence the fact that it can only be visited during very restricted opening hours. Surrounded by an Italian Renaissance garden, both the palace (also of Italian inspiration!) and the garden feature facades decorated with superb Portuguese azulejos. Reflected in the vast pool it overlooks, the Kings' Gallery is certainly the most striking feature of the garden. It featuresazulejo panels depicting fourteen knights at full gallop. Twelve of these are said to be Portuguese knights, the other two knights from the Mascarenhas family. This group of figurativeazulejos is the finest of the ^17th century. The busts above them represent the fifteen Portuguese sovereigns. Further on, the twelve months of the year are depicted on large panels. The Casa do Fresco (freshness pavilion) is decorated with curious inlays of Ming porcelain, shells and glassware. The somewhat faded palace also houses a fantastic collection ofazulejos (chromic and bichromic) inspired by Chinese motifs and Dutch colors. The walls of the Hall of Battles, the most beautiful of all, are covered with ^17th-centuryazulejos, recounting the battles and victories of the Portuguese against the Spanish during the War of Restoration (1640-1668). Like a comic strip, you'll be amazed at some of the playful scenes. Outside, the large flower-filled terrace is adorned with nine mythological marble statues and niches containingazulejo panels with allegorical figures. The exterior walls of the buildings are not to be trifled with in terms of insolence and provocation, notably with a bestiary parodying human society, with representations of cats and monkeys in drag as irreverent as possible... Among the many curiosities is a representation of a Japanese man wearing diving goggles.. The Casas de Fronteira e Alorna Foundation, created by the ^12th Marquis of Fronteira, also offers regular cultural activities for the general public, including concerts, lectures on the history of Portugal and monthly themed tours (in Portuguese).