Arborescent Ferns And Other Tropical Plants In Parque Da Pena Botanical Garden, Sintra, Portugal Royalty-Free Stock Image

The Parque da Pena is a vast area 85 ha. spread over the highest points of the Serra de Sintra. Originally a convent founded in 1503, it was transformed by King Ferdinand II. From 1840 onwards he began to build the castle and the surrounding forests and gardens. The gardened areas contain important collections of camellias, tree ferns, conifers and areas of natural vegetation whilst the arboretum contains impressive individual specimens of Cryptomeria japonica, Sequoia sempervirens, Thuya plicata and various species of Abies. From 1910 the park was administered by the Portuguese national forest service and there are extensive trial plantings of forest species. Sintra and its surrounding mountains are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.