Sintra City Hall

Sintra’s town hall is no ordinary town hall — but then Sintra is no ordinary town. It’s a magical place, with palace after palace, each outdoing the last for sheer flamboyance. In this context, the Sintra City Hall fits the bill perfectly. It may deal with the day-to-day bureaucracy and mundane tasks, but it does so in Disney-like style.

From a distance, the first thing the visitor will see is the soaring clock tower and spire roof that dominate Sintra’s skyline. The spire gleams with green and white tiles bearing motifs of the Portuguese coat of arms. Closer up, the building’s extravagance only grows, as the ornate Manueline style of design stonework comes into focus.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to see inside, because people do actually work there, as odd as that may seem. But the exterior alone warrants a visit and complements the rich architectural history of Sintra as a whole. Be sure to see the nearby Palácio Nacional da Sintra too — the only neighbouring building that can challenge the City Hall’s domination of the skyline.