Parques de Sintra restores around 300 historic light fittings in the Palaces under its management

A project to conserve and restore all the historic decorative light fittings integrated into the interior architecture of the National Palaces of Sintra, Queluz and Pena and the Palace of Monserrate is underway. The work, which will take place in phases, covers 299 light fittings, both on display and in reserve, and consists of treating and restoring all the elements that make them up, stabilising them, replacing missing components, and reviewing the electrical infrastructure to ensure their safety.

Dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries, the historic light fittings in the Palace collections are highly complex structures, both in terms of decoration and of electrical infrastructure. In order to carry out this intervention, Parques de Sintra brought together a multidisciplinary team to ensure respect for the heritage integrity of the objects, as well as the infrastructure conditions necessary for the proper functioning of these historic pieces while safeguarding the traditional techniques involved in their execution.

Pieces of great heritage, historical and artistic value, the lamps are fundamental to the decoration of the four Palaces under the care of Parques de Sintra. Some have even become icons of these monuments, such as the monumental chandelier in the Manueline Room of the National Palace of Sintra, from the late 19th century, made of Murano glass (Venice) and with 97 points of light. Also of note are the monumental chandeliers in the Throne Room of the National Palace of Queluz, and the 72-candle chandelier made of gold-plated brass in the Great Hall of the National Palace of Pena.

With a budget of 240,000 euros, the project is expected to be completed by the end of April 2025.

In the last decade, the parks and monuments managed by Parques de Sintra have received around 25 million visitors, and the company has invested 40 million euros in the built and natural heritage under its care. With no recourse to the state budget, Parques de Sintra is committed to a pioneering management model based on leveraging the heritage to generate income which is then reinvested into its recovery and maintenance. Continuing in the same vein, the company plans to invest around 30 million euros in the future to enhance the parks and monuments under its management.