by Don Nunn
On the morning of day three, I point the white Renault Megane rental car northeastward with the destination being the forested region where the Bussaco Palace Hotel (Buçaco in old Portuguese) resides in splendor. On the way to Bussaco, we made a stop at Portugal’s largest church, the Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça (Alcobaça). Taking seventy years to construct (1153 –1223), like all edifices of such antiquity, Alcobaça has been the subject of repairs/preservation work over the ensuing centuries.
Bussaco Palace
Religious or not, it is the history and architecture that cannot fail to attract the attention of anyone interested in either of those subjects. Commissioned by Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques, Alcobaça is inextricably linked to the history of Portugal, which first became a nation state in 1139 under Henriques. Power, intrigue, and murder are all part of Alcobaça’s history.
Sitting in a forest of approximately 260 acres, the area (not the Palace Hotel) was originally a monastic retreat. Here and there throughout the grounds are found waterfalls, fountains, ponds, channeled water courses, and secret grottoes constructed at various times across the centuries. Even today, for non-monastics, Bussaco forest invites the peaceful contemplation of natures’ manifest attributes. Bussaco provided precisely the atmosphere and environment I invariably seek out – peaceful, surrounded by gardens, spacious, and not overrun by tourists. The Palace Hotel and its manicured grounds are situated in the midst of the forest.
Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça (Alcobaça)
Part of the time that Bussaco forest was occupied by the religious order of Carmelites coincided with the Portuguese Age of Discovery, when Portuguese mariners were exploring the world. These adventurers returned with trees from the regions they explored, and many exotic species were planted at Bussaco, including Himalayan pines, Mexican cedars, and oak varieties from around the world. Over the ensuing centuries, first the Carmelites, and later the State, continued to add exotic trees and shrubs to the collection. Today Bussaco Forest is home to many giant, centuries old specimen trees. In an early act of environmentalism, the Pope at the time, in 1643 issued a decree threatening with excommunication any person harming the trees at Bussaco. The Bussaco Forest is today known to arborists worldwide.
Continuing its unique history, in September of 1810, British Lord Wellington, allied with the Portuguese, defeated the French at the Battle of Bussaco. Napoleon Bonaparte, who despite his wars of conquest and miscellaneous troublemaking remains today revered by the French, was at the time attempting to expand his empire into Portugal. The English, French, and Spanish were almost continuously battling for supremacy, with alliances constantly shifting as self-interest dictated. Nevertheless, the English-Portuguese alliance which originated in the early middle ages, endured over the centuries.
Bussaco Palace and Gardens
English and Scottish businessmen, particularly Joseph James Forrester, played a major role in the development of the Portuguese Port industry (which we will delve into in the next installment from Porto), explaining why a surprising number of the major Port producing houses still have British names today (i.e., Graham’s, Sandeman, Taylor).
In the middle of the 19th Century, the Portuguese State took over Bussaco. It was looked after by the Royal Forestry Commission, which continued to add to the botanical collection. In this lengthy history of Bussaco, we come finally to the part where a Royal Palace is constructed. Even that saga, however, is unique. By the late 1800’s, the religious structures had fallen into disrepair, while the forest continued to thrive. In the very last part of the Century, plans were commissioned by King Carlos to construct Neo-Manueline Bussaco Palace. Discussing the Manueline architectural style is well beyond the scope of this author’s expertise. It will suffice to say that while this style is characterized by flamboyant spires, arches and turrets, its highly decorative embellishments are distinctively different from similar period architecture anywhere else in Europe, with particular emphasis on seafaring motifs.
Under construction for twenty years, the Palace was completed in 1907 only three years before the fall of the monarchy and the declaration of a Republic. It was officially used only once, by Manuel II (son of Carlos), who used it for a romantic dalliance with French actress Gaby Deslys, before being exiled in 1910. A better ending than his Russian counterpart had a few years later! The Palace later became the grand hotel it is today. The Palace has a strikingly beautiful marble staircase to the second floor, with the walls of the staircase covered with huge cobalt blue Azulejo tile panels depicting scenes from Portuguese history. The outside walls of the building are also covered with Azulejo panels depicting both historical and mythological themes. They are indescribably beautiful (see photo below).
Neo-Manueline Bussaco Palace
Dining in historic hotels is virtually guaranteed to be a memorable experience, wherever one goes in Europe. That proposition certainly held true in Portugal. The Dining rooms of such hotels are inevitably atmospheric. At Bussaco Palace the Dining room was filled with multiple curved archways supported by immense columns embellished with all manner of nautically themed ornamentation from the Portuguese Age of Discovery. Anchors, cables, shells, pearls, and many other representations of middle age maritime objects adorned stone columns carved like twisted strands of rope. Although the Dining area was actually one large room, the archways artfully divide the room into multiple dining venues and create the feeling privacy and intimacy. In such places I always have the sense of being transported back several centuries in time, yet with modern amenities and service. The old world architecture and antique furnishings coupled with modern convenience, combines for a magical marriage that cannot be matched in the U.S.
On this evening, we strolled through a classically decorated anteroom with an immense fireplace, murals of medieval scenes, and cedar plank ceiling, into the Carlos Reis Bar for an aperitif. The two rooms were separated by a beautifully carved archway. The Bar is named for the Portuguese painter whose painting “Os Derrotados” (the Defeated), hangs there.
Following the aperitif (practically mandatory pre-meal tradition in Europe – but then they hardly need to twist my arm to get me to comply with that custom), we dined on a shared first course of “Dueto de Sardinhas”, and then separately Pork Loin and Tornedos ao Bussaco. I splurged on this night for a 54€ bottle of Ramos Pinto in honor of the incredible surroundings. Ramos Pinto is a Quinta (Wine Estate) located in the Duoro Valley, from whence emanates all of the Port Wine, but which also produces wines aside from Port. This bottle was called Duas Quintas, which is easily interpreted as being composed of grapes from two different vineyards. Fruit forward, earthiness in the middle (it was difficult not to say “middle-earthiness” here), and a blackberry finish.
I concluded the evening with a glass of 30 year old Niepoort Vintage Port – velvety and mellow. Again, almost mandatory since I was on a wine/travel adventure. Difficult work, but somebody has to do it!
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