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The Palace of Sintra is one of a few must-see attractions for visitors located in the old town. This shot was taken from the upper street elevation which is leading to the centre.

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The Palacio Nacional de Sintra was constructed on the site of an important Moorish castle but this was completely destroyed during the construction of the palace by king João I (John I 1385 – 1433). João undertook a major building program across Portugal and the Palacio Nacional de Sintra was one of his largest construction projects.
João constructed the original layout of the Palace which included the front whitewashed facades, the main entrance and the central courtyard which is known as the Ala Joanina. The early palace blended both Manueline styles and Moorish architecture. The most visually striking exterior feature of the Palacio Nacional de Sintra are the two large chimneys that were not built to vent the large kitchens fires and ovens away from the main chambers of the Palacio Nacional de Sintra. The two chimneys were constructed during the first phase of building work on the palace.
The Palacio Nacional de Sintra was the preferred residence for João’s son King Duarte, who spent much of his reign based within the palace. The popularity of the palace continued through to the 15th century when the more lavish royal building was constructed. King Afonso V was both born and died there.

Source: http://www.sintra-portugal.com/