Quinta de Regaleria – Sintra, Portugal

 

Header	Quinta de Regaleria
Where is it	Sintra, Portugal
What is it	Built in an over-the-top romantic style by Italian opera designer Luigi Manini, Quinta de Regaleria is a crazy romantic castle full of caves, fountains and occult symbolism derived from alchemy, masnory, the knights templar and the rosicrucians. It was built in first decade of the 20th century for the Brazilian millionaire entomologist Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro who wished to create a magical construction which would reflect his ideas and philosophies.
Main attractions	Besides the 5th story palace, which is an absolute treat to visit, the estate is full of strange and mysterious spaces such as two initiation wells which were initially used for tarot initiation ceremonies, a network of underground caves called “grottos” through which you can cross the estate underground. Other attractions include such spots as the fount of abundance or the terrace of the gods.
Psychedelic Merit	The place has an strange and eerie atmosphere, and if you can manage to ignore the many tourists around you it can even become magical. The labyrinthic network of  tunnels is a like a gateway to the unconscious, and the initiation well is straight out of a fairytale.
Comments	Like the other psychedelic tourist attractions of Sintra, the place is packed with tourists. If you can, it might be preferable to plan your visit outside of the tourist season, or arrive early in the morning.
Links	Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinta_da_RegaleiraOfficial Website: http://www.regaleira.pt/About the initiation well: http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-ancient-places-europe/masonic-initiation-wells-quinta-da-regaleira-002263
Categories	Structure, portugal, europe
Tags	Palace, castle, portugal, europe