Comprehensive restoration will restore authenticity and brilliance to the Chapel of the National Palace of Sintra

Parques de Sintra has begun the comprehensive conservation and restoration works of the Royal Chapel of the National Palace of Sintra. This is the most significant intervention of the past hundred years, following the campaign carried out in the 1920s and 1930s, with the important contribution of the architect Raul Lino at the end of that period. The project, involving an in investment of around 2.7 million euros, was presented on Friday, 17 April, at the National Palace of Sintra.

João Sousa Rego, , Chairman of the Board of Directors of Parques de Sintra, describes the intervention as ‘particularly demanding and symbolic,’ due to the multiple historical layers, the diversity of materials and the complexity of the techniques present in the space.

Based on an extensive research process carried out by Parques de Sintra in collaboration with Instituto Superior Técnico and the Hércules Laboratory, a research unit of the Universidade de Évora, the project involves a multidisciplinary team and covers the entirety of the Chapel and its surrounding spaces, both interior and exterior. With particular emphasis on the Mudéjar ceiling and the ceramic floor of the same period, all elements will be restored, including decorative finishes, wall paintings, tiles, roofing, façades and adjacent courtyards.

‘We will address the causes of deterioration while stabilising and restoring the decorative and structural elements. Structural reinforcement actions, the rehabilitation of roofs and drainage systems, and the enhancement of future monitoring capacity of the building’s conservation state will ensure its long-term preservation,’ explains João Sousa Rego.

‘Our aim is to prevent future generations from having to undertake interventions of this magnitude. By caring for heritage in a continuous, systematic and informed way, we are able to intervene before minor pathologies become irreversible losses,’ he states.

At the presentation of the project, João Cortês, Technical Director for Built Heritage at Parques de Sintra, also spoke, detailing the Heritage Management Plan of the National Palace of Sintra, as did the architect Diana Francisco, who addressed the history and construction phases of the Royal Chapel. Alexandre Costa, from NCREP – Consultoria em Reabilitação do Edificado e Património, focused on the engineering works, while José Maria Lobo de Carvalho and Cristina Pedrosa, from Conservation Practice, presented the detailed conservation and restoration project for the Mudéjar ceiling.

Temple of the Holy Spirit and a jewel of Mudéjar art

The Royal Chapel of the Palace of Sintra was founded by King Dinis at the beginning of the 14th century and dedicated to the Holy Spirit, whose cult was introduced in Portugal by Queen Saint Isabel. This dedication is reflected in the decorative pattern of doves carrying an olive branch in their beaks, depicted in the fresco paintings on the walls.

Altered and enlarged during the reign of King Afonso V, the temple is strongly marked by the Mudéjar style — a successful symbiosis between Christian and Muslim art. In this regard, particular emphasis is given to the Moorish decoration of the ceiling, made of carved wood using the alfarje technique, with ‘lattice’ or ‘interlacing’ motifs (geometric patterns of radial or star-shaped composition). The ceiling, dating from the 16th century, is one of the few examples of its typology that survive in Portugal today. Created in the same period, and also representative of Mudéjar art, the ceramic pavement with alicatado tiles is a testimony to the technique of combining cut sections of tiles in different colours and shapes.

Tradition indicates that a primitive Arab mosque may once have existed on the site of the high chapel. The adjacent courtyard was given the name of Mecca, and it is believed that the ceramic paving may still contain traces of that construction.

As the centre of religious life at the Palace de Sintra over the centuries, the Royal Chapel was the space where service was rendered simultaneously to God and to the king. During Mass, the monarch would remain concealed behind a curtain next to the high chapel (the most important space), which conferred upon him an aura of sacredness, placing him above the other attendees.

The Royal Chapel is thus a magnificent example of the meeting of cultures, of great historical, artistic and symbolic value — an important legacy that must be preserved and passed on to future generations. This is the main purpose of the comprehensive conservation and restoration campaign that is now beginning. Once completed, visitors will encounter a clearer, more coherent space, closer to its historical authenticity, which will enhance their visiting experience. The colours of the finishes and the gilding of the decorative elements will regain their brilliance, revealing the depth, light and singularity of the Royal Chapel within the context of the National Palace of Sintra.

The works are expected to last 22 months, with completion scheduled for the second half of 2027.