Fronteira Palace

The Fronteira Palace also known as the Palace of the Marquises is an Italian Renaissance-style castle built in 1640 for the Marquis of Fronteira as a hunting pavilion. Located today next to the National Museum the Fronteira Palace is the best place to admire the blue & white tile panels also known as Azulejos. It holds the largest collection of seventeenth-century azulejos preserved in situ.

The visit to the palace combined with a walk into its marvelous gardens, the stunning Battle Room in which the panels have been described as the Sistine Chapel of Azulejos & the wonderful sculptures make this site a must-see.

Amazingly enough, this is a privately owned property by the 12th Marquis of Fronteira, so only some parts are open to visits & only on a tight schedule, making the proper arrangements for a guided tour necessary before the visit. There are at least two different tours available to the visitor of the Fronteira Palace: a walk through the gardens with the help of audio and video guides, and guided tours to the interior.

“Themed tours” are available twice a month, dedicated, namely, to the collection of azulejos (Portuguese tiles) and the literary authors who lived in the palace. The palace provides the perfect opportunity to escape the noise of the city and enjoy a unique place where History meets modernity. More