Pousada of D. Maria (Pousada de D. Maria) | |
Tower of the Clock | |
Inn (Pousada) | |
The southern profile of the
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Official name: Torre do Relógio/Pousada D. Maria I | |
Named for: Maria II of Portugal | |
Country | Portugal |
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Region | Lisboa |
Subregion | Greater Lisbon |
District | Lisbon |
Municipality | Sintra |
Location | Queluz |
- elevation | 100 m (328 ft) |
- coordinates | 38°45′3.23″N 9°15′27.19″W / 38.7508972°N 9.2575528°WCoordinates: 38°45′3.23″N 9°15′27.19″W / 38.7508972°N 9.2575528°W |
Length | 53.85 m (177 ft), Northwest-Southeast |
Width | 35 m (115 ft), Southwest-Northeast |
Architects | Manuel Caetano de Sousa, Carlos Oliveira Ramos |
Styles | Baroque, Rococo |
Materials | Masonry, Stonework, Marble |
Origin | c.1654 |
- Initiated | c. 1782 |
Owner | Portuguese Republic |
For public | Private |
Easiest access | Largo do Palácio Nacional |
Management | Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico |
Operator | Grupo Pestana Pousadas |
Status | Unclassified |
The Pousada of D. Maria is part of the Pousadas de Portugal network of lodgings, housed in the historical servants quarters/annex of the Queluz National Palace, located in the civil parish of Queluz in the municipality of Sintra in the Portuguese sub-region of Greater Lisbon.
Built in the Baroque-style, its five-stage bell tower provides an ecclesiastical appearance to the structure, due to surmounted floral finials. In age, it is contemporary with the main palace, dating from the mid-18th century. The tower is visible from many parts of the palace and from certain vantage points appears to be part of the palace itself.
In 1654, the estate of Queluz, which pertained to the Marquess of Castelo Rodrigo, passes into the hands of the Royal Household, and incorporated into the Casa do Infantado.
Under the direction of the Infante Peter (later to be Peter III of Portugal after his marriage to Queen Maria, in 1747, construction begins on the National Palace of Queluz (which was intended as a summer retreat). A long project, around 1758 the remodeling of the palace was under the direction of Mateus Vicente de Oliveira, who was regularly required in Lisbon, to help in the reconstruction of the city. In his place Jean Baptiste Robillon, better known for his work on the palaces gardens, acted in his place. In 1782, after Robillon's death, the project at Queluz was placed in the hands of Manuel Caetano de Sousa, with the palace expanded to provide quarters for the Royal Guard, administration, stables and other dependencies, including the Torre do Relógio (Tower Clock). The first great leap in construction at Queluz ended with the death of Peter III in 1786. The wing was originally intended to house servants and the members of the Royal Guard when the Portuguese Royal Court was in residence at Queluz.