The National Palace of Mafra - The Destinies Room; the Guards' Room; the Benediction Room; the Chamberlain's Room and the Queen's private apartments in the South Tower -The 7th of August 2016

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I then walked into a 232 metre long Façade Gallery made up of a long series of Promenade Rooms running between the two Palace turrets. Some noteworthy paintings and artefacts caught my attention as I wandered along them, such as the painting on the ceiling of the Portuguese Discoveries Room (whose photo didn't come out properly), the one decorating the Destinies Room with the Divine Providence delivering the Book of Portugal's destiny to the first Portuguese King, the Fall of Phaëthon on the ceiling of the Guards' Room and the variety of limestone decorations in the Benediction Room, on whose centre stands the marble bust of King João V.

 

As I walked into the Chamberlains' Room it was again the painting on the ceiling that caught my attention - the five coats of arms of Portugal in the centre surrounded by several Greek Gods and the Goddess of Fertility. 

The Queen's Royal chambers which I walked into afterwards comprised an Antechamber, a Boudoir, a toilet Room, a Bedroom and an Oratory. This time it was the bathroom decoration that drew my attention.

(To be continued)