Cultural Landscape of Sintra, Portugal

Sintra is a major tourist destination in Portugal, famed for its picturesqueness and for its numerous historic palaces and castles. In the 19th century Sintra became the first centre of European Romantic architecture. Around 1840, king Ferdinand II turned a ruined monastery into a castle in which Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance elements were displayed. Among newer sights there is also the Moorish Castle, might be of Visigothic origin. It was certainly used in the 9th century, during the Moorish occupation.