#头条创作挑战赛 #
The pictures and texts of this article are collected from foreign websites. I compile and provide it to you for the purpose of disseminating information only, and do not represent support or confirmation of the original text. Due to my limited level, there will be many errors in the text, and I hope that everyone will not hesitate to correct them.
Cabo da Roca ("Rocca" means rock), Portuguese Cabo da Roca, located at the end of the European continent, where the Atlantic Ocean begins, with the intoxicating sound of the waves and the smell of the sun. Here you can feel the power of the ocean. The Romans referred to the westernmost cape of Eurasia as the "Cape Magnum", and in the era of great geographical discovery it was called the Cape of Lisbon. Cabo da Roca was once named one of the "50 Best Places in the World" by netizens.
Cape is located 40 km west of Lisbon and 18 km from Sintra, within sintra Kas National Park. The cliffs rise 140 metres above the Atlantic Ocean and feature a lighthouse, a post office, a restaurant and a souvenir shop selling certificates for visits to Cabo da Roca.
It is probably no accident that the Portuguese once conquered the seas. In the age of great geographical discovery, Portuguese navigators became discoverers of new lands. On the sails of their expedition ships, the forked cross sign implies that the navigators' actions were sanctified by the Pope and approved by God, and that the ship itself belonged to the Knights of Christ.
The coordinates of the westernmost point of Eurasia are latitude 38, 47'N, longitude 9,30'W, carved on stone tablets.
The Portuguese resort town of Sintra (382,000 inhabitants, 2015) is located on a hillside of the same name near Lisbon. Sintra has long been a favorite holiday destination for Portuguese monarchs, so in the shady hillsides there are several palaces and many villas. Sintra and its surroundings are home to numerous attractions and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Adjacent to the hillside and forest park of Sintra National Palace are Pena Palace and the dilapidated Moorish Castle. Not far from Sintra are the exquisite Montserrat Palace and the Gabchus monastery. The ancient Moorish castle was occupied by King Alfonso I in 1147 and became the summer residence of the Kings of Portugal in the Middle Ages.
From Sintra to Cabo da Roca, there is an 18 km vintage tram line in operation.
From the 15th century to the end of the 19th century, Portuguese monarchs lived in the medieval Sintra State Palace. The architecture of the palace is a mixture of Mauritanian and Manunot (Portuguese Renaissance) styles. The building has two tall chimneys and is decorated with intricate tiles. Guides like to show visitors the palace's painted ceiling, which depicts magpies. Legend has it that the ladies of the court under King John I liked to talk about the private life of the monarch, and in order to satirize these chattering women, the king ordered forty magpies to be painted on the ceiling to remind the ladies that they should obey the rules of a decent society.
Pena, a fabulous summer palace built between 1840 and 1885 on a towering hill, sits on the site of an abandoned monastery.
Sintra is famous for its Quinta da Regaleira estate. With its palaces and exotic parks, this mysterious manor house is one of the most mysterious landmarks in the area. Until 1997, the estate was in private hands, and then the municipal government bought it back from Aoki Of Japan.
The palace complex of Quinta da Regaleira includes neo-Gothic romantic palaces, chapels and parks with moats, grottoes, fountains and a variety of fantastic buildings. It is named after baron Regaleira, who acquired the estate in 1840, and is also known as the palace of millionaire Monteiro.
Interior decoration of the palace
As a member of the Masonics, he conceived the idea of arranging a country estate, symbolically reflecting his interests and philosophy. To embody these ideas, the Baron hired the Italian architect Luigi Manini, who followed fashion trends and the requirements of his clients, combining stylistic elements of architecture from different eras in the project: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Manuel. Construction took place from 1904 to 1910. Eventually, a four-story palace and a Catholic church appeared on the estate, and the surrounding area was transformed into a fantastic "Garden of Eden" covering four hectares.
The fireplace is carved with hunting scenes with the figure of a young man and a hound
The façade of the palace is richly decorated with Gothic towers and gargoyles. The building is topped by an octagonal tower with the "Leda Cave" below it. On the first floor of the palace, partly retaining its decorative design, there is a living room, a dining room, a billiard room, a wardrobe and the master's bedroom. The second floor was his office and the maid's bedroom. On the third floor there is an ironing room and a small room with access to the terrace, in the basement there is a bedroom for male employees, a kitchen with an elevator for lifting food to the first floor and various storage rooms.
View of the park from the palace hall
The monumental Roman Catholic chapel in the park is located in front of the main façade of the palace. The interior of the chapel is richly decorated, with stained glass windows and frescoes depicting saints of the Catholic Church. On the floor of the church are painted images similar to armillary spheres (astronomical instruments). It is a symbol of portuguese conquest in the age of great geographical discovery, an essential element of the coat of arms of Portugal, and the symbol of the Knights of Christ, which is concluded in a pentagon. In medieval Europe, it was named after the seal of King Rohman in Arabic manuscripts. In the decoration of the church, in addition to the symbol of the order of the cross, next door is the symbol of the Knights Templar and the Masonic emblem. Inside the church there is a small balcony on which anyone can express their opinion, regardless of religious belief. This indirectly proves traces of Freemasonry, which accepts only true believers, regardless of their beliefs.
In the church, visitors are particularly impressed by the chandelier. It resembles the Star of David – an ancient symbol, a badge in the form of a six-pointed star in which two identical equilateral triangles (one unfolded from the top and the other expanded from the top down) are superimposed on top of each other.
Pictured is the Guardian's Gate, a symmetrical structure with two towers along its edge.
In the center of the portal are two salamanders, the Guardians of the Underworld. In their paws was a hidden secret—a small shell. Like a pearl, it symbolizes the birth of new knowledge.
Around the palace there is a picturesque park with mysterious overtones
Underground grottoes, labyrinths and towers attract people with their mysterious and special significance, and the entrance to the towers is camouflaged and almost invisible from the outside.
Of course, the most mysterious thing about the manor is the 27-meter-deep underground tower, which is said to have held the Masonic initiation ceremony. The "Well of Enlightenment" penetrates deep into the earth and is surrounded by spiral corridors decorated with many arched openings alongside them. The corridor consists of nine spans, each with fifteen steps. To reach the upper level of the well, it is necessary to go down the spiral corridor - the road of enlightenment and rebirth. As a way to wake up to yourself and to know yourself.
According to legend, these nine levels symbolize the nine circles of hell, purgatory, and heaven. At the bottom of the well is placed the coat of arms of Montero – an eight-pointed star with the Cross of the Templars engraved on it. The wall depicts a shining triangle - one of the symbols of Masonicism.
Given the complexity of the descending ritual, it is not surprising to think of it as a way of regeneration and devotion. Although from a philosophical point of view, this path also has a special symbolic significance, indicating that a person came from darkness and also returned from there.
So, as you descend to the fabled "Center of the Universe," you'll find yourself in front of a tunnel with little lighting, where you'll need to choose the real path. Just like in life, everyone chooses their own path based on life experience, intuition, and desire.
If you chose the real path in the branch tunnel, you should already be here. Water is the initial state of all things and the source of life.
The final stage is walking on water. However, there is also a little secret here, you must pass through the stones on the surface of the water, do not look east and west. You can do this if you first step on the stone with your left foot. Not everyone can do it. The amount of water in the water source changes with the seasons and weather, and sometimes the stones cannot be seen at all, which makes people feel like they are really walking on the water. It is quite possible that these stones used to be underwater. Much like testing believers' belief in the right path chosen.
This exit from the bottom of the well can also serve as an entrance to the sanctuary if you choose the second way
If you deviate from the path of "justice", you will head to a church or gazebo where you can rest and take pictures.
From the "wrong" exit, you can reach the lake or the spectacular bridge
A multi-storey park spanning multiple paths with terraces descending from the hillside. Its design and elements conceal symbols associated with various religions and denominations, alchemy, Masonics, templars and the Rosenkrit order, as well as famous literary works.
Statues in the park
On the territory of the palace and park complex, there is another unfinished underground tower
Fun fact: There is also a creepy secret passage hidden in this place, which is a system of grottoes and dungeons, which is said to be the residence of ancient cults. António Monteiro and the architect Luigi Manini fully embody the philosophical and aesthetic tastes of the owner of the estate. Even the Well of Enlightenment was built in an ancient inverted tower (the purpose of which is still unknown). Two such towers were found on the territory of a multi-storey park. The second is the "unfinished well", which consists of a straight staircase connecting the various floors.
The palace complex is open all year round, except on 24 and 25 December.
Opening hours of the palace and park complex:
November to January—from 10:00 to 17:30
February, March, October — 10:00 to 18:30
April to September – from 10:00 to 20:00
But it should be remembered that the entrance is closed about an hour before the end of working hours. Accordingly, visits to the palace complex and underground towers are paid and cost from 4 euros. You can visit these amazing places on your own or with a guide (which naturally costs more). The complex is now inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Photo and video shoots are allowed, but most visitors have limited access to underground passages.