The Court’s open-air stage

The Gardens of Queluz were designed by the French architect and goldsmith Jean-Baptiste Robillion and unfold as a theatrical promenade of balustrades, sculpture, geometric beds and water features.

In the Upper Gardens, two highlights stand out: the Malta Garden (linked to the Order of Malta) and the Hanging Garden, or Neptune Garden, with the Lake of Neptune and the Lake of Amphitrite, and box-edged patterns inspired by French “parterre de broderie”. The Tile Canal is the most distinctive feature: an engineering project begun in 1752, completed on 22 August 1755, with its tile lining finished in 1756. Its sluice system allowed the Court to use small boats or gondolas, turning the garden into a setting for celebration and spectacle.

Practical information

• Gardens hours: 9:00 am–6:30 pm
• Last ticket & last entry: 5:30 pm
• Ticket office: closed 12:00–1:00 pm; ticket vending machine available