Originally built as a suburbian residence and hunting lodge by Marquise de Fronteira in the 17th century the Fronteira Palace is a hidden treasure among Lisbons many historical buildings. The palace shows strong italian architectural influence and is still owned and habited by the same family that constructed it- The Mascarenhas Family. The founder, D. João de Mascarenha was a great general that helped Portugal to win the Restoration war (1640-1661) against Spain and in compensation he was made 1st Marquis de Fronteira by King D. Pedro II.
Today, the Fronteira Palace stands out from other noble houses in Portugal for several reason. It has a rich interior decoration and one of the first Baroque Gardens in Portugal. But what is most impressive is the vast collection of tiles both inside the palace and in the gardens. Depicting profane allegories and caricatures to large panels of monumental scale with historical motives from the Restorations wars. On the magnificient terrace- called the Gallery of the Arts there are large panels representing the liberal arts and statues of Greek Gods, panels showing the senses and medallions decorated with fruit and flowers. But what really makes the terrace unique is the panels below the benches, which beside depicting hunting scenes, show hilarious scenes with different creatures including monkeys, which represent a form of social criticism, typical of the baroque age.
