Parques de Sintra and WMF move forward with innovative restoration of the tiles at the National Palace of Sintra

Parques de Sintra and World Monuments Fund – Portugal began, on Monday, 26th January, the first phase of the conservation and restoration works on the tiled surfaces of the National Palace of Sintra, a project that strengthens the preservation of one of the most significant collections of azulejo tilework in Portuguese and European heritage and stands out for its commitment to methodological innovation, knowledge production and the mobilisation of technical and scientific partners.

Scheduled for completion in July 2026, this first phase, with an estimated duration of six months, focuses on the tiled wall and floor coverings of the Arab Room, including its central fountain, as well as the tiled floor of the Chamber of King Afonso VI. The selection of these spaces makes it possible to work simultaneously on different typologies, chronologies and origins, creating a testing ground for distinct technical solutions, with the ambition of establishing solid benchmarks for future interventions at the Palace and in other contexts of a similar nature.

‘This project translates, in a very concrete way, the ambition of our Strategic Development Plan to invest in conservation with scientific rigour, to upskill teams and to open to the public the invisible work that ensures heritage is passed on to future generations in better condition,’ says João Sousa Rego, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Parques de Sintra.

One of the central aspects of the project is the involvement of national and international specialists dedicated to the conservation and restoration of azulejo tiles, with a view to defining guidelines for conservation and restoration interventions carried out in situ.

In this way, the intervention is intended to act as a driver for knowledge creation, both through the systematisation of methodologies aligned with international best practice and through the critical assessment of intervention options based on the real behaviour of materials.

In this context, the participation of civil society and scientific system entities is also noteworthy, namely the Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil [National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC)], which will collaborate in the development of laboratory studies, particularly on the future behaviour of materials, making it possible to anticipate variations in performance over time, including changes in tonal quality. The Escola Profissional de Recuperação do Património de Sintra [Professional School for Heritage Conservation of Sintra] will be another of the partners involved and will carry out three professional training initiatives with students, in addition to the National Arts Plan, which will develop an Educational Programme featuring events open to the public and activities with the school community of the Municipality of Sintra.

The intervention is taking place in situ, allowing the public to follow the works, in line with Parques de Sintra’s ‘Open for Works’ policy, which brings visitors closer to conservation processes and makes visible the specialised work that ensures the continuity of heritage.

In the second phase, also with an estimated duration of six months and scheduled for completion in January 2027, the works will extend to the Water Grotto, covering tiled surfaces, stucco ceilings and stone arcades. The first phase was awarded for €146,719.82, while the second phase is estimated at approximately €90,000. To the works’ values are added the costs associated with research, scientific supervision, professional training and communication. The overall costs of the project will be borne equally by Parques de Sintra and World Monuments Fund – Portugal.

This project benefits from the philanthropic support of The Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust, Tianaderrah Foundation/Nellie and Robert Gipson and Fundação Millennium bcp.