Been a little slow with posting recently, but took a lot of photos this weekend, so hopefully we can have something entertaining for the next few days.
This is a photo of the Palácio de Pena. It is on top of a hill in the town of Sintra that is close to Lisbon. We have been to Sintra twice now, the first time we went we posted some photos of the Castelo dos Mouros. This is another impressive site in this small town. It is a UNESCO heritage site and is roughly 160 years old and the former home of Portugal's monarchs.
I have been trying to determine where the name originated but have not found a definitive answer yet. The word "pena" can mean pity, mercy, and even feather. Before the palace was built a chapel stood on the hill - the Chapel of our Lady of Pena. So I think it would make a sense that the translation is pity or mercy. It is just that Pity Palace sounds so wrong.
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