Visit to the National Palace of Mafra, with 6 Organs Concert included

We will visit the National Palace of Mafra!

National Palace of Mafra

## The National Palace of Mafra is a baroque architectural ensemble, formed by a royal palace, basilica, convent, garden and game reserve. Its construction began in 1717 and the basilica was consecrated in 1730. It hosts important collections of Italian sculpture, Italian and Portuguese paintings, vestments, an imposing library, two carillons, six historical organs and an eighteenth-century infirmary. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2019.

The building of the Palace of Mafra was commissioned in 1711 by King D. João V to fulfil a vow for the birth of a firstborn son and is the most important monument of the Portuguese Baroque. The former royal estate covers more than 1200 hectares and the Palace has a floor area of about 38,000 m2, making this monument one of the largest in Europe.
For this Palace, King D. João V commissioned sculptures and paintings from Italian and Portuguese masters, Italian vestments and French tapestries and two carillons with 92 bells, in Flanders – the largest carillon of its time. It also includes a set of six historical organs in the basilica, an important library with about 30,000 books, the largest bookstore in a single room in Europe. The infirmary stands out in this convent, the only remaining room of that time.
It was a state residence during the reign of Prince D. João VI, and since the Napoleon invasions accommodated military barracks and was also a seasonal residence for the royal family. D. Manuel II, the last Portuguese monarch was staying in this palace when he was forced to move into exile on October 5, 1910.

After the visit of the Palace, we will have the 6 Organs Concert!!

The Basilica of the National Palace has an instrumental ensemble of six historic organs which, due to its singularity, is unique throughout the world. Their architectural layout, combined with the fact that they were designed together and the possibility of being touched individually or simultaneously, constitute an exceptional heritage reality.
The six instruments were built to replace existing ones, from the time of D. João V. The work was carried out by the two most important organists of their time - Joaquim António Peres Fontanes and António Xavier Machado e Cerveira, between 1792 and 1807 - the golden age of organ construction in Portugal. It is during this renovation that the instruments are prepared to play together.
At the time, several musical compositions were produced for these organs. However, the Napoleonic Invasions and the consequent exile of the Portuguese Court in Brazil led to a decline in the use of the instruments.
Until 1998, the Bodies were subject to only superficial interventions. From that year until 2010, the ensemble was comprehensively restored, entrusted to the Portuguese organ maker Dinarte Machado.
Since then, the six organs of the Basilica of the National Palace of Mafra have become widely known throughout the world. The sound of these six organs, with around 12,000 pipes, provides an experience that is only possible in this monument.

After this concert, inside of the Basilica, we will have a Concert of the 2 Carillons!

Abel Chaves plays great classics, interspersed with national and international music hits, at the Carillon Concerts at the Mafra National Palace.

After this, we will return to Lisbon.