The Kings' Gallery
The dynasty in full blue above the pool.
kkmarais โ CC BY 2.0 ยท Alvesgaspar โ CC BY-SA 4.0 ยท Bain News Service, publisher โ Public domain ยท Bain News Service, publisher โ Public domain
Portugal's glazed tile โ from the Arabic al-zulayj in word and origin โ arrived with the Moors and flowered blue in the 17th century until it became Portugal's architectural skin: churches, palaces, stations. Fronteira is its private summit โ the National Azulejo Museum the public one, for the addicted.
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Fronteira is Lisbon's loveliest guarded secret: a 1671 hunting palace the Marquis' family still actually inhabits โ so you visit on small timed tours as a house guest, not a museum tourist โ its azulejo counted the greatest tile ensemble in any private house anywhere. The Kings' Gallery is its most famous wall: Portugal's monarchs in full blue tile above a pool โ the Battles Hall documents the independence war against Spain in panoramic tile led by the family's own ancestor โ and the geometric gardens of box mazes, statuary and ponds complete an aristocratic green hour. At Monsanto park's edge (taxi the easiest arrival), tours few-seated and mostly morning โ book ahead and check the day's times: an inhabited house opens neither every door nor every day.
The dynasty in full blue above the pool.
The independence war in panoramic tile.
Largo Sรฃo Domingos de Benfica 1, 1500-554 Lisbon