Photography: Smart Sat
Mafra begins today the celebration of the tercentenary of its Palace, one of the most important manifestations of the European Baroque. Thursday starts the extensive program of celebrations that will last precisely one year, until November 17, 2017, when in 1717 began the construction of the monument that is simultaneously a royal palace, a basilica, a convent, a garden and a hunting ground. In order to mark such an important date, a diverse set of events and initiatives were prepared, including conferences, pyromusical shows, videomapping, exhibitions, concerts and recreations.
November 17 marks the beginning of the festivities with an inaugural session. Starting at 9:30 pm, the Basilica of the Palace hosts a conference led by the Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon, D. Nuno Brás da Silva Martins, dedicated to the theme “The Christian Temple”. From 23:00, at Terreiro D. João V, musicians from the Army’s Symphonic Band will perform melodies by various composers (such as Strauss, Haendel, Tchaikovsky or Verdi), in a concert synchronized with fireworks thrown from the monument.
The celebrations programme, co-organized by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage / National Palace of Mafra, Mafra City Hall, Army School, Parish of Mafra and Tapada Nacional de Mafra, can be consulted here.
At the press conference held earlier this month to present these celebrations, the keywords used to define the programme were “to qualify and get to know”. It is intended to make known the diversified heritage set that constitutes an unmistakable landmark reference of the Municipality within a festive atmosphere
If the construction of the Convent and Palace inaugurated a phase in the development of the Municipality of Mafra, these celebrations will also be used to qualify some spaces and equipment, highlighting the recovery of the chimes (in the conclusion period of the process) and the mural painting of the throne’s room (with the patronage of the BCP Foundation), as well as the improvement of physical and communication accessibility: lift, access to the Basilica, installation of audio guides, new signage and information tables in the rooms.
Esta publicação também está disponível em | This article is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)
