Camara Afonso VI 790X593px — Discover the objects on display in the National Palace of Sintra
King Afonso VI Chamber

King Afonso VI Chamber

This is one of the chambers in the palace of King Dinis and Isabel of Aragon, the “Holy Queen” (13th century), where King Afonso VI (1643–1683) is thought to have been imprisoned in the last years of his life. The ceramic floor is one of the oldest (c. 1430–1440) in the entire building.

Discover the objects on display in this room.

Christ of the Cane

Bento Coelho da Silveira (attrib.)
Portugal, 2nd half 17th century
Oil on canvas
Inv. No. PNS3625

Bed

Portugal, 17h century
Rosewood and gilded metal
Inv. No. PNS3012

This bed was moved here from the National Palace of Ajuda in 1939 to create an atmosphere that better captured the imprisonment of King Afonso VI (1643–1683).

Table

Spain, 17h century
Rosewood, ivory and gilded metal
Inv. No. PNS2962

Pot

China
Dynasty Ming - reign Chenghua (1465-1487)
Sandstone
Inv. No. PNS30

Cabinet

Spain, 17h century
Rosewood, ivory and gilded metal
Inv. No. PNS3039

Wall cloth

North of Africa, 19th century
Velvet and silky damask
Inv. No. PNS3568

Ceramic Floor

In this room, you will find one of the oldest ceramic floors in Portugal, perhaps from the same period as the one in the Chapel. Some historians hold that it was laid in the mid-15th century.

Authority

This is the oldest section of the Town Palace, consisting of a fortified structure built to defend the surrounding territory. Remodelled at the time of King Dinis and Isabel of Aragon (13th century), it was a public demonstration of feudal authority. This authority belonged to the queen, to whom the king had handed responsibility for administering the lands (or town) of Sintra.

As the pinnacle of authority, the queens resided in this part of the palace, which had the most restricted access of all. This was also a way to control access to the women of the court so that the authority of the king and his descendants could not be called into question.

However, in the 17th century, it was given a different use, becoming a prison for King Afonso VI (1643–1683). Forced to relinquish power by his brother, the king was held here under guard by 300 soldiers for nine years. A symbol of authority in earlier times but now obsolete, this part of the palace was converted into a prison for a king whose royal authority had been removed.