When visiting the city of Sintra in Portugal make sure to visit unique and amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known as the Quinta da Regaleira, with its amazing Initiation Well, the fairytale place is considered by UNESCO as part of the “Cultural Landscape of Sintra.” Read on to find out more about this intriguing and wonderful attraction in Portugal.

Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, Portugal

While Sintra is a fascinating city to visit in itself, it is home to a wonderful place, known as the Quinta da Regaleira. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is also dubbed The Palace of Monteiro the Millionaire and is certainly not just a palace. The main building is surrounded by a fascinating collection of architecture on beautiful, park-like grounds and features a lake, a fountain, several grottos and unique wells.

The site earned its nickname from the former owner of the property, one António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. In 1892, Monteiro bought the four-hectare estate from its previous owners, rich family from Porto, the Barons of Regaleira.

Once the sprawling property was his, he hired an Italian architect, Luigi Manini. Between them, they went on to create a wonderland of gardens, buildings, tunnels and wells, reflecting Monteiro’s ideologies and interests, along with enigmatic smaller buildings throughout the property.

Meanwhile, the architecture on the property wasn’t just a simple style, as it includes symbols relating to Masonry, the Knights Templar and Rosicrucians with a little added alchemy. Moreover, the styles also incorporate Gothic, Renaissance, some Manueline and a Roman touch.

Gardens and parks at Quinta da Regaleira

Even the gardens on the property varied between well-kept, manicured areas, through to messy and lush forests. Reportedly, this is because Monteiro believed in primitivism and due to this, dotted around the park-like area are symbolic and decorative symbols.

Meanwhile, the gardens offer several entry points into an extensive network of tunnels and grottos. Moreover, the tunnels lead the way to the chapel on the property, as well as Waterfall Lake and the fascinating “Leda’s Cave.”

‘Reversed towers’

However, probably the most amazing aspects of the property are two wells – both of which have nothing to do with water. These fascinating structures are better described as “reversed towers,” or “underground towers.”

The largest of the wells is dubbed the “Initiation Well,” which connects to the network of tunnels at Quinta da Regaleira. Visitors can traverse the 88-ft spiral staircase, taking them around and down the interior of the well with various landings along the way. It is said that the number of steps involved and the spacing of the landings are calculated using Tarot mysticism. Meanwhile, the Initiation Well was used for various ceremonial purposes.

The other well is smaller and is commonly known as the “Unfinished Well,” with straight stars connecting the series of ring-shaped floors.

Visit Quinta da Regaleira on your next visit to Sintra in Portugal. Here you can tour the gardens and tunnels, head through the “Initiation Well,” visit Waterfall Lake and the grottos. Experience the mystery of this amazing place while exploring everything it has to offer. Find out more and book tickets on the official website for the Quinta da Regaleira here.