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Municipality in Lisbon, Portugal
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Mafra is a city of 77,000 people (2011) in Greater Lisbon, Estremadura, Portugal. It is mostly known for the sumptuous Mafra National Palace, which is a . Other points of interest around the municipality include the Tapada Nacional de Mafra, an enclosed wildlife and game reserve, and Ericeira's World Surf Reserve, the second in the world.
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The National Palace of Mafra is probably the most striking Baroque monuments to be found in Portugal, its construction symbolizes the Absolutist rule of D. João V. The palace has some 1,200 rooms of which the most impressive is the Library, which dates from the 18th century and contains some 36,000 books and manuscripts. In addition there is the Convent, an important and significant part of the religious heritage of Portugal. However, the most stunning feature of the Palace site is the Basilica, considered to be a masterpiece of Baroque architecture and famed for its Carillion – famous throughout the world for the sheer size and beauty of its mechanism. Together with its surroundings it was listed as a in 2019.
Real Basilica de Nossa Senhora e Santo António
Built according to a plan by Johann Friedrich Ludwig . This basilica has a set of 6 identical organs, unique in the world ( 11,444 pipes ) and a carillon of 92 bells spread over two towers, the north chime being the work of the Liège founder Nicolas Levache, and the south of the Antwerp founder Willem Witlockx.
Igreja de Santo André
13th-century church.
Former royal hunting ground, now a park with wildlife, hiking and biking trails.
Beach.
Beach.
Grilled pork, beef, lamb, and cod.
Heritage B&B. Known for its yoga and surf retreats.
By car
By train
The rail network, served by the Linha do Oeste (Western Line), with stations in Mafra (Mafra-Gare) and Malveira, as well as flag-stops in Alcainça–Moinhos and Jeromelo, providing interurban and…
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