The dominant feature of the city of Mafra, lying in the cleft between the hills, the monastery, whose construction was begun in 1717 and completed only 18 years later. King joão V, vowed to build in Mafra monastery if his wife Mary Anne of Austria will give him a son. The joy of the birth of her son matched the grandiosity of the project: the façade length of 220 meters, stone and marble used in incredible numbers, statue, carved in Italy and with great difficulty brought here in one piece, huge bells.

Bathrooms are luxurious Palace is the monumental Western facade of the Royal apartments at one end and Queen's apartments in the other. The interior of the Palace Basilica, made of marble contrasting colors, decorated with Baroque sculptures made by Portuguese craftsmen of the eighteenth century. Gorgeous library with marble floors, wooden bookshelves in the Rococo style accommodates more than 40 thousand books in leather and gold boxes.