Casa do Cipreste, incluindo a cerca

Casa do Cipreste in Sintra is a house designed by the architect Raul Lino as his own home. It stands in the parish of São Pedro de Penaferrim, within the Sintra cultural landscape, and is regarded as one of the most interesting examples of Portuguese residential architecture from the early twentieth century. The protection also covers the surrounding boundary wall, which explains the full heritage name: "Casa do Cipreste, incluindo a cerca" (including the enclosure).

Who was Raul Lino, and why does this house matter?

Raul Lino lived for almost a century and worked without interruption for roughly seventy years. He is remembered as the great theorist of the "Portuguese house", an approach to architecture rooted in local traditions, materials and landscape. Casa do Cipreste was his personal residence, so it shows his ideas put into practice without a client's constraints.

When and how was it built?

The project was originally called "A Pedreira" ("The Quarry") and dates from 1907. Construction began in 1912 and the house was inaugurated in 1914. By then the main works were complete, including the installation of azulejo tiles that Lino also designed. The building was later renamed Casa do Cipreste.

What makes the architecture distinctive?

The house was built inside an abandoned quarry, and that setting shaped its unusual form. Instead of a rigid, symmetrical block, the architect used an organic, naturalistic plan that follows the uneven ground. The layout has a serpentine character with various attached wings, and the roofs step down the slope. The result looks like part of Sintra's rocky landscape rather than a foreign object placed in it.

Heritage status

In 2005 the property was classified as an Object of Public Interest within the Sintra-Cascais protected area. The protection extends to the enclosure of the plot, which shows that the value lies in the whole composition and not only in the building.

Can you visit Casa do Cipreste?

The house remains in the hands of Raul Lino's family and still serves its original residential purpose. It is a private home rather than a museum, so before visiting check for any guided visits that may occasionally be organised in Sintra. From the outside it is a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in architectural history.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed Casa do Cipreste? The architect Raul Lino, who designed it as his own home.

When was the house built? Construction started in 1912 and the house was inaugurated in 1914.

Where is it? In Sintra, in the parish of São Pedro de Penaferrim, within the town's protected cultural landscape.

Why was it built in a quarry? The architect used an abandoned quarry as the site, which allowed the structure to fit into the shape of the terrain and rock. That is why the original project name was "A Pedreira".

Is the house state-owned? No. It remains with the architect's family, although it is protected as an Object of Public Interest.

Why does the enclosure matter? The listing includes the "cerca", the wall around the property, because it forms a coherent ensemble with the house.