Located in the lush and enchanting landscape of Sintra, Portugal, lies the Monserrate Palace, a 19th-century Romantic era gem embellished in Indian, Italian, Moorish, and Neo-Gothic styles. Over the centuries, Monserrate became a retreat for writers and a source of inspiration for travelers.
Even in a neglected state, the palace inspired none other than Romantic poet Lord Byron himself in his poem, “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.”
The site was abandoned several times before Sir Francis Cook (1817–1901), a British trader and art collector, bought Monserrate and transformed it into a palatial villa with a 3,000-acre botanical garden. In 1858, he commissioned father-and-son architects Thomas James Knowles Sr. and Jr. to restore and expand the palace….