BLOG 2022
18/1/2020 7 Comments Quinta da Regaleira, SintraQuinta da Regaleira, also known as The Palace of Mystery in Sintra, is a beautiful place full of history, myths, symbolism and has a magical vibe. Even though most tourists are attracted to visit the eccentric 19th Century gothic Palacio da Regaleira and its mysterious Initiation Well, it really started with 'Da Torre', a 17th century tower which could have just stepped out of a deck of Tarot cards. This tower is the centre of what over time developed into a magical five-pointed property where one wanders mesmerized through the stunning gardens full of lakes, fountains, grottoes and wells and a vast array of architectural wonders. Most of these creations originated between 1904-1910 with designs by the Italian architect Luigi Manini commissioned by former owner, António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. There is so much to see, to learn and to take in. Lief and Sol explored the grounds, armed with maps and cameras at the high pace of paparazzi. Tracy and Kiki took it all in at a slower pace. Manini embedded the buildings and structures with many symbols related to alchemy, the Knights Templar, the Rosicrusians and Masonry, blending designs with Roman, Gothic and Renaissance styles. Sculptures with mythical stories are abundant in the park, whether placed in a 'Gruta' (grotto), 'Fonte de Agua' (water fountain) or on the 'Patamar dos Deuses' (path of the Gods) We were all intrigued by the ''Poco Iniciatico' (Initiation Well) and 'Poco Imperfeito (Unfinished Well), a pair of upside down towers spiralling deep within the earth. The Initiation Well has many underground caves and tunnels leading to different exits. These wells were not used for water collection, but instead were used for secretive initiation rituals. The 88 feet (27 meters) descent into the earth on a staircase divided with 9 platforms has symbolic meaning including the death/rebirth allegory common to many hermetic traditions. One of the underground tunnels leads to a symbolic exit where one walks upon water. AuthorWritten and created by Kiki
7 Comments
Tina Hamlin
22/1/2020 15:06:26
This looks so amazing Kiki! It's now on our list of places to visit. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Reply
20/3/2020 19:00:22
It is truly wonderful to be alive in this world. I think that many people have no idea how it is, and I just love it. I want to go and make people enjoy the idea of travelling. I am a person who just loves to travel, and if I can share that with everyone else, then that is just what I want to do. I hope that I can make people realize that this should be what we all should be doing.
Reply
Katie
23/1/2020 08:21:12
This place looks wondrous! Nice blog post guys. Who wrote this out of curiosity? If Lief...very well done.
Reply
Lief
30/1/2020 04:17:33
Hi Katie, this post was by mom, but if you want to see my post, I did Lisbon three days in a row
Reply
Rob
23/1/2020 21:09:24
Great photos guys! Looks like a magical place. Hope you're all getting into the groove of the trip.
Reply
Matthew Bolton
28/1/2020 06:05:16
Hey you guys! looks awesome...I love the images of Lief and Sol at the sports stadium and the gardens are truly amazing! Willa and Gus say hi to you all and we all miss you. I'm up early baking bread (I have to say...I'ts really improving again). We have been using your great yoghurt maker and we will not buy from the store unless we absolutely have to. All is good. Matt
Reply
Marvin Alan Boyd
30/1/2020 08:12:32
Well done! An inspiration. Thanks for taking the time.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
We areA family from Haida Gwaii, BC, Canada hits the road. Archives
June 2022
Categories |