The Hall of the Infantes and the Gallery: institutional and social approach to the architectural layout of the Palace of Sintra

Abstract

This article examines two architectural sections of the Palace of Sintra by focusing on the practices of historical agents to clarify their purposes within the palatial complex. This inquiry stems from the observation that existing historiography tends to concentrate on the actions of a select few monarchs and approaches the history of this royal residence through a predominantly symbolic and cultural lens, often overlooking the complex historical processes that shaped its architectural development. By shifting the focus to the specific needs of the palace’s occupants, how they used the space, their relationship with the court’s administrative and institutional structures, and their interactions with the broader social fabric, this analysis generates new interpretative hypotheses. Through this approach, the study has identified the location of a previously unknown Renaissance gallery and revised the chronology of a significant section of the palace, commonly referred to as the 'Manueline body.'