Quinta da Regaleira - the abode of secret societies

Park Quinta da Regaleira - a mysterious and mysterious place, and therefore one of the most interesting attractions in the vicinity of Lisbon, which, unfortunately, we had little time.

Familiarity with the park we started just an hour before it closed early as the last rays of the sun. Although, in an amicable way, it can easily take most of the day. In this case, if it is absolutely honest, to visit the park would be good to prepare more thoroughly. But first things first. I told him that we were able to learn and see for the time allotted to us ...

The birth of the park of Quinta da Regaleira was in the last years of the Portuguese monarchy - at the beginning of the XX century. Although the manor is certainly more ancient - its history goes back much in the second half of the XVII century. For centuries, the estate changed many owners, until in 1840 it has not acquired the Baroness Viscountess Regaleira, in whose honor the mansion and got its present name.

'52 later, the estate has a new owner - Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, a native of Rio de Janeiro and the owner of a great fortune, earned in Brazil, due to the monopoly on the trade in coffee and jewels. On four hectares of land acquired Portuguese millionaire decided to have your own personal little Eden.

From the mind - everything is standard. Relatively normal for Portugal Palace in Manueline style.

Normal elegant interior.

Conventional walls with conventional lamps.

Normal excellent views to the Moorish castle.

Normal view of the Sintra roof.

But it's for a simple layman.

A man devoted and attentive to see the park incredible amount of various mystical symbols belonging to freemasonry, alchemy and ancient religions. The park, which is arranged around the estate acquired Carvalho Monteiro, was to become the home of philosophy, with a clear philosophy elected.

But for a man like me, not so much knowing about the secret societies, the park is incredible interest. Definitely, Quinta da Regaleira - one of the essential places to visit in Portugal.

The park was conceived as the earthly incarnation of the Garden of Eden - Eden. In addition, each building or sculpture along the tracks have their secret mission. Terrace Park takes us into the world of "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri - there is also a heaven and hell, and purgatory.

In order to solve all the secret characters that lead through the park on the path of initiation, you need to have at least Professor Robert Langdon novels of Dan Brown. We, unfortunately, most of the mysteries of the Masons were unknown, so we just walked through the park, enjoying its unusual mysterious buildings and scrolling in my head a scant knowledge of Masonic lodges.

In this case, even completely do not understand the arcane symbols, it becomes clear that every part of the park is not only designed to trifles and stands in a certain place, but is connected by invisible threads with all other parts of the park.

It is not known whether there was Carvalho Monteiro, a Mason, but in any case, much of the park is impregnated with Masonic symbols. Although, if you dig deeper, it becomes clear that the characters of early Freemasonry, in turn, were borrowed from the Templars. There is also in this kind of symbolism - abolished and banned in all countries of Pope Clement V the Templars continued to exist quietly just in Portugal, only changing the name to the Order of Christ.

The entire park is filled with dualism.

"Around the World": here everything is based on the unity of opposites: heaven - hell, hell - paradise, this world - the world of the beyond ...

Flea passage in a pile of stones leading to the main attractions of the park - tridtsatimetrovoy well, leading into the bowels of the rock.

This is - well Initiation. It leads down a spiral gallery, which has nine levels - symbolizing the nine circles of hell described by Dante.

At the bottom of a well laid out a huge cross of the Knights Templar, inscribed in the eight-pointed star.

On the walls of the well flow down streams of water, contrary to falling on your head and flowing down the collar. You can assume the feelings experienced Samara Morgan from "The Ring".

From the well in different directions depart several underground passages leading to different parts of the park. Some of them are highlighted. Others can be explored only with a flashlight, which we do with them, of course, it was not.

The most interesting - well that no one knows the time of occurrence. Maybe he existed before Carvalho Monteiro.

Unknown and the goal of its origin, are legends that the underground passages once held secret Masonic rituals.

Let us hasten to the outside world.

The darkness left behind.

Some parts of the park are closed. Judging from overgrown with moss paths - human foot never stepped here for a long time.

Another input to the mainsail, connected with the well by an underground passage Initiation. To get to the grotto can be walking on flat stones, carelessly thrown among overgrown with duckweed pond. But there is a secret - go on the rocks, you can only know that to start your way it is necessary with the left foot.

Talk about Quinta da Regaleira can be very long. Especially if to understand the symbolism.

Here for example, is absolutely easy to look at the composition. But it is necessary to dig deeper - and offers plenty of interesting things. With the "Around the World" site:

Here grotto with stone benches. It is decorated with a statue of Beatrice, and the edges of the bench, which bears the number "515", are seated two hounds ...

"Five hundred and fifteen, the messenger of God ..." - this is the last song of "Purgatory". A hound - the symbol of the messenger of God, who announces the coming of the Holy Spirit and salvation of Christianity.

But at the same time, experts say Dante, that "515", the mysterious symbol of the coming savior of the church, has another meaning: if DXV swap the characters get the DVX, which means "leader".

Pavilion Ibis, assigns to us to ancient Egyptian mythology. For the inhabitants of the Nile was sacred ibis bird, represents wisdom and knowledge.

Terrace gods - here already guessed the ancient Greek mythology.

Yes, to get a little to understand the essence of this wonderful park it is necessary to know very well not only philosophy, mythology and poetry, but also the history of Portugal, and the symbolism of secret societies, as well as to float freely in all related areas ...

We went out of the park at dusk. Park gates were closed, and we, along with the same 10 minutes hesitated tourists looking for a way to get out from the territory. The answer turned out to be banal - next to the door found a small gate that can be opened from the inside.