The summer school brings international historians to the National Palaces of Sintra, Queluz and Pena

This summer, Parques de Sintra is taking part in an unprecedented initiative: between 2 and 6 September, the National Palaces of Sintra, Queluz and Pena will host the Sintra Summer School, held on the theme of "Women in Iberian Court Residences: Space, Power and Leisure (15th-18th centuries)". The course will bring together specialists in the history of the royal courts and will be held in partnership with the Carlos de Amberes Foundation, the Autonomous University of Madrid, the Complutense University of Madrid, the National University of Distance Education of Madrid, the University of Lisbon and the University of Barcelona.

In recent decades, royal courts and female monarchs have received increasing attention among historians, whose studies are the starting point for this summer school, which will feature the presence of six international research projects working in the field. The Sintra Summer School will be a unique experience and will allow participants to develop their knowledge and discuss the roles and experiences of women in the courts and palaces of both Spain and Portugal. Court politics, gender politics and female monarchs in the Iberian context will be analysed by renowned national and international historians who will be present at the various sessions that make up the programme.

The course also includes technical visits to the National Palaces of Sintra, Queluz and Pena, as well as to former female convents in Lisbon, fundamental places for the education of the nobility and for the fulfilment of acts of devotion by members of the royalty.

Since its foundation, Parques de Sintra has invested in partnerships with various national and foreign educational institutions as part of its mission, researching, producing and disseminating knowledge about the heritage under its care. The first edition of the summer school will be another opportunity to continue this work.

The Sintra Summer School is aimed at undergraduate, master's and doctoral students in history, art history, museology, and heritage; professionals working in the field of heritage and museums; and the general public with a specific interest in the subject. As this is an international course, the working language will be English. Applications for the 30 places available are open until 31 March and must be made on the Parques de Sintra website or by emailing [email protected]. They require the submission of a duly completed application form, CV and motivation letter.