Palace of Mafra, Royal palace and monastery in Mafra, Portugal.
The Palace of Mafra is a royal building and monastery in Mafra, Portugal, with a limestone facade stretching 220 meters in length, encompassing 1,200 rooms, 4,700 doors and windows, and 156 stairways. The complex combines a basilica, royal quarters, and monastic buildings within a single massive structure.
Construction started in 1717 under King John V of Portugal and employed up to 45,000 workers at a time, financed by resources from the Brazilian colonies. The project lasted more than a decade and defined the king's reign through its monumentality.
The Royal Library holds 36,000 leather-bound volumes and older editions from the 16th century, protected by resident bats that consume harmful insects. The protection provided by these animals remains part of the conservation approach today.
Visitors can explore the basilica, royal apartments, grand staircases, and extensive gardens while learning about Portuguese royal and religious history. The site is large, so it helps to plan the route in advance or focus on selected areas.
The foundation required blasting through bedrock, leading to 1,383 recorded worker deaths during the construction period. The human cost of the project is preserved in documents from the era and serves as a reminder of the harsh working conditions of the time.
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