🏛 On location: Sintra – Royal summers and Lusitanos

King Dom Duarte particularly enjoyed spending time in Sintra. Yes, yes, there he is again – the king to whom I am devoting so many articles this month. In the 15th century, the Portuguese monarchs increasingly used the Palácio Nacional de Sintra as a summer residence, and Dom Duarte was also a frequent visitor. The present-day Sala das Pegas, the Magpie Room, was already known by this name in his time and was used to receive dignitaries and foreign envoys (Source und Source2).

No direct connection between Sintra and his Livro da Ensinança de Bem Cavalgar Toda Sela can be drawn from this. Visiting the palace does, however, make it a little easier to imagine the world of the king who wrote the work in the 15th century. Riding was as much a part of a prince’s education as handling weapons, hunting and knowing how to conduct oneself appropriately at court. In his book, Dom Duarte therefore dealt with far more than riding techniques alone. He wrote about fear, willpower, control of the body and the rider’s responsibility (more on this HERE).

Sintra remained closely associated with the Portuguese royal family for centuries. Later, aristocrats, wealthy citizens, artists and foreign visitors arrived. They built palaces, country estates and gardens into the wooded slopes of the Serra de Sintra. Since 1995, the Cultural Landscape of Sintra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The microclimate of the Serra de Sintra is crucial to the special character of this landscape. Moist air from the Atlantic meets the mountain range, rises and condenses. As a result, mist and clouds can hang over Sintra while the sun is shining in Lisbon (Source). The northern side in particular is cool, humid and densely wooded.
Geologically, the volcanic massif also has a measurable magnetic anomaly, which may well have fuelled stories about mysterious forces in the Serra. The fact that mobile phones sometimes lose their signal or navigation here can probably be explained rather more prosaically by the terrain and dense woodland. It still feels a little mysterious, though, when you suddenly find yourself in the middle of the forest with neither a signal nor working navigation – and it fits Sintra’s mystical reputation remarkably well.

Hidden stables

One of Sintra’s best-known estates is the Quinta da Regaleira. At the beginning of the 20th century, the wealthy businessman and collector António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro commissioned the Italian architect and stage designer Luigi Manini to transform the estate. The palace and gardens combine elements of Gothic, Renaissance, Manueline and Romantic architecture.

Grottoes, underground passages, towers and the famous Initiation Well are filled with Christian, mythological and esoteric symbolism.
The stables are situated right by the entrance and are barely noticed by many visitors. Yet they were designed with the same attention to detail as the Quinta’s grander buildings. Horses were part of everyday life on estates like these. They provided transport, were used for hunting and played a role in social life – and the associated service buildings were also intended to reflect the status and taste of their owners.
Another equestrian trace can be found in the Parque da Pena. The former farm and stables lie in the western part of the park. Today, horse rides and carriage tours through the park start from here. Horses therefore remain part of the landscape created around the Palácio da Pena in the 19th century by Dom Fernando II, husband of Queen Maria II.
The prince, who came from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, married Maria II in 1836. In 1838, he purchased the former monastery on the mountain and had it transformed into the Palácio da Pena and the surrounding park. (Source).

Sintra’s equestrian world today

Horses in Sintra are not confined to historic stables and royal parks. Several internationally renowned riders and breeders work with Lusitanos in the surrounding area.

The Academy Pedro Torres is based in Penha Longa. The Portuguese rider became particularly well known for his success in Working Equitation and today trains horses and riders in a range of disciplines. His work illustrates how traditional Portuguese working horsemanship has developed into an internationally practised sport (Source).

Also based in Sintra is Coudelaria Quinta dos Cedros, where Lusitanos are bred and trained for sport. Horses bred there have, among other achievements, been successful in competitions for young dressage horses. The facility is a training and performance centre rather than a regular tourist attraction. As with all the other establishments featured here, visits therefore need to be arranged in advance (Source).

Further west, Jacobo Botero Nieto and his wife Espírito Santo Botero work with Lusitanos. Born in Colombia, Jacobo came to Portugal at the age of twelve and was initially trained as a cavaleiro tauromáquico. Today, under the name Botero Horses, the couple focus on presenting, breeding and selling Lusitanos.

The family is particularly well known through Instagram, where the couple share their everyday life with the horses and their two sons, Jacobito and José Tomás. Jacobito in particular, who regularly appears with the horses, has won over many followers. Mariana is herself a rider and entrepreneur. She presents horses, can also be seen in traditional Portuguese riding attire and riding side-saddle, and plays a major role in shaping the public presence of Botero Horses. Her own Instagram profile also reaches a large audience (Source).

Around Sintra, then, you can discover a remarkably broad spectrum of Portuguese equestrian culture – from its historical roots to modern sport and breeding establishments.

It is worth allowing plenty of time for Sintra’s famous palaces. The Palácio Nacional de Sintra, Quinta da Regaleira and Palácio da Pena can hardly be explored properly in a single day. Monserrate and the Castelo dos Mouros are also well worth visits of their own. Continue towards the coast and you reach Azenhas do Mar and Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe.

Book-Note:
In Tracing the Lusitano, I take a closer look at Dom Duarte, the historic schools of riding and the personalities who shaped Portuguese equestrian art.