The chalet is made of painted plaster and cork, not of wood.
Built between 1864 and 1869, this chalet was badly damaged in a fire in 1999, but has been restored and opened to the public in 2011. It was home to the Countess of Edla, second wife of King Ferdinand II, and is surrounded by a romantic garden in Pena Park, with botanical species from all over the world. Behind it is a monumental group of granite boulders, from where you can look out to the Moorish Castle.
Period furniture decorates the interior
The building follows the style of Alpine chalets, but is covered with Portuguese cork, perhaps inspired by the Capuchos Convent in Sintra — cork frames windows and doors, and covers balconies and some of the decorative details of the interior.
Cork also covers and decorates part of the interior
The exterior appears to be made of wood, but is actually painted plaster. Inside, it presents a few examples of period furniture and some of the personal items of the countess.
The chalet is surrounded by a garden and the park of Pena
The Countess of Edla was Elise Hensler, an opera singer who was born in Switzerland, grew up in Boston in the United States, and then moved to Paris, where she began her career. She ended up performing in Milan’s La Scala and in Lisbon’s São Carlos Theater, and that’s where King Fernando II first met her.
Visiting the Countess of Edla Chalet
The chalet takes about 20 minutes to visit, and is part of a tour of Pena Park.
How to Get to the Countess of Edla Chalet
The chalet is a short walk from the entrance to Pena Park, below Pena Palace. There are signs pointing in its direction.
To reach Pena Park and the palace, take bus 434 from the center of Sintra.
Admission and Tickets to the Countess of Edla Chalet
Admission to the chalet is included in the ticket to Pena Park (€7.50 for adults and €6.50 for children) and in the Pena Palace+Park ticket (€14 for adults and €12.50 for children). There's a 10% discount with the Lisboa Card.
Save time by getting your ticket online: Pena Park Entry Ticket
It opens every day - 9:30am to 8pm in the spring and summer, and 10am to 6pm in autumn and winter.