Located near the historic center of Sintra, Portugal is Quinta da Regaleira – a spectacular estate set in a World Heritage protected landscape. While thousands of tourists flock to the castle each year to admire Quinta de Regaleira’s unique architecture that combines Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance features, one of the most attractive features of This castle is located underground – a pair of spiral wells deep inside. Earth. The wells were never used and were not intended to collect water. Instead, these mysterious underground towers were used for secret initiation rituals.
Quinta de Regaleira. Credit: liljc716/Flickr
The cultural landscape in which Quinta da Regaleira is located dates back thousands of years. There are archaeological sites in the area dating from the Neolithic period (5th millennium BC) and extending into the Iron Age (4th – 2nd century BC). . Roman occupation of the area began in the mid-2nd century BC and was later conquered by the Moors. Sintra finally yielded to Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal after the conquest of Lisbon in 1147. Afonso built an imposing Royal Palace there which he used as a summer residence until the end of the century. 16th century. After the suppression of the Templars in 1312, the lands were transferred to the Order of Christ. In the late 15th century, Sintra was associated with Leonor, one of the greatest Queens of Portugal. Successive kings spent much time in the town, but after the Restoration of 1640, Sintra lost this connection and the Royal palace served only as a prison for Afonso VI. Sadly, most of the built heritage in the area was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, although there are some outstanding military and court buildings, examples of corrugated iron architecture. churches and archaeological sites.
Quinta da Regaleira is a large estate located in this historic setting. It has had many owners over the years, each contributing their own personal touch. But it was not until 1904, after being sold to António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, a wealthy Portuguese entomologist, that the estate was transformed into a unique palace decorated with iconic carvings. symbol associated with the Freemasons, Knights Templar and Rosicrucians.
Gargoyles perch on the rooftop of Quinta de Regaleira. Credit: Daniel Boa Nova/Flickr
The Quinta de Regaleira estate, sometimes called the “Monteiro Millionaire’s Palace” after its latest owner, includes a palace and chapel with exquisite decoration including frescoes, Stained glass windows and lavish stucco. The estate grounds have a lake. , caves, wells, benches, fountains and a vast and mysterious tunnel system connecting two spiral wells.
The system of tunnels and caves connects two deep and spiral wells. (Wikipedia)
The pair of wells, known as the ‘Wells of Beginnings’ or ‘Inverted Towers’, include a ‘winding staircase’ architecture, which carries symbolic significance including the popular death/rebirth allegory in many discreet traditions.
One of the wells has nine pedestals, said to be “reminiscent of Dante’s Divine Comedy and the nine circles of Hell, the nine sections of Purgatory and the nine heavens that make up Paradise.” A smaller well, called the “Unfinished Well,” has a straight set of stairs connecting the circular levels. It is believed that the spacing of the steps as well as the number of steps in between are regulated by Masonic principles.
The Well of Initiation consists of a spiral staircase with nine platforms. Credit: nios/Flickr
At the bottom of the well there is a compass on the Knight’s Templar cross, said to be Monteiro’s messenger and the sign of his Crucifixion. Little is known about how the wells were used and what exactly went on there, although it is clear that great effort went into planning and building them.
Bottom of the well of Initiation in Quinta da Regaleira. (Wikipedia)
The beauty and symbolism of Quinta de Regaleira is like a window into the past and is one of the last buildings in Sintra that carries the memory of the rich and diverse history of the area. The wells begin to make one wonder about the events that once happened there.
