The long expected trip to Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra was finally organized between Klara and I, once her nephew was around having flown from Romania.
We strolled around Sintra for just a few metres before we reached the main entrance of the UNESCO classified World Heritage site.
Having belonged to the Viscountess of Regaleira, a wealthy family of merchants form the Northern part of Portugal Quinta was sold to Carvalho Monteiro in 1892. He then decided to create a space which reflected some of his ideologies, thus the inclusion of several alchemy, masonry and Knights of the Templars' elements. The Italian architectLuigi Manini design his intentions evoking a mixture of styles, amongst which the Manueline, Gothic and Renaissance are noticeable.
If the architectural features drew one's attention I believe it was the extensive and rather enigmatic system of grottoes, underground walks and the overall mysterious atmosphere that attracted people the most. We walked around in a fairly slow pace, so as to thoroughly admire every construction. By the time we reached the Initialtion Well with its spiral staircase, whose spacing of its landings combined with the number of steps in the stairs linked to Tarot misticism we were already surrendered to its beauty.
Photos may not necessarily give the exact feeling one has when exploring the mysterious lanes and grottoes but they do allow one to at least see what is there to be "experienced".
(To be continued)
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