Mafra

Mafra – (1hr 20mins by car)

Mafra, in the "saloia" (rustic) area, which used to supply the capital with garden produce, is famous for its imposing Palace-Convent, the largest edifice in Portugal, built by order of King Dom João V in the 18th century.
The king, who still had no children three years after his marriage to Dona Maria Ana of Austria, promised the Franciscan friars that he would build them a convent in the Mafra area if his prayers for an heir to the throne were answered.
This grandiose monument was built to include a convent for 300 friars, a basilica and a 666-room royal palace and magnificent library.