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Palace of Mafra

🇵🇹 Portugal · 18th century

Palace of Mafra in Portugal
Photo: Alvesgaspar · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Palace of Mafra (Portuguese: Palácio de Mafra), also known as the Palace-Convent of Mafra and the Royal Building of Mafra (Real Edifício de Mafra), is a monumental Baroque and Neoclassical palace-monastery located in Mafra, Portugal, some 28 kilometres from Lisbon. Construction began in 1717 under King John V of Portugal and was completed in 1755.

The palace was classified as a National Monument in 1910 and was also a finalist in the Seven Wonders of Portugal. On 7 July 2019, the Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden and Hunting Park (Tapada) was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Text adapted from “Palace of Mafra” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Palace of Mafra ranks #353 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #5 of the 200 mapped in Portugal. Founded 1717, it is older than 21% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 525 atlas entries founded in the 18th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 10,218 times in the last 60 days, more than 93% of the atlas. Wikidata records about 190,000 visitors in 2022. 10 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Sintra, 16 km away. See how Portugal compares in the castle statistics.

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Read the full history on Wikipedia ↗

Frequently asked questions

Where is Palace of Mafra?

Palace of Mafra stands in Portugal, at 38.93692°, -9.32639°.

When was Palace of Mafra built?

The atlas dates its founding to 1717. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.

Is Palace of Mafra a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Yes — Palace of Mafra is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, per its Wikidata entry.

How famous is Palace of Mafra?

In this atlas's fame ranking: #353 of 7,738 worldwide, and #5 in Portugal. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.

What is the nearest castle to Palace of Mafra?

Fort of Alqueidão, about 16 km away.

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