“The campaign aims to help recover the palace’s heritage and we want to advance with the repair of these three clocks, which are important as they’re from the 18th century,” the association’s president, Rogério Bueno de Matos, stated.

The campaign started in March and runs until October, and its goal is to raise funds to repair one of the clocks, at a cost of about 750€. Up to now, around 200€ have been raised.

The palace director, Sérgio Gorjão, explained the clock’s significance, saying how “It’s an important clock, because it’s a rare survivor from the 18th century, when we had the earthquake. None of them are working and given their historical importance, it makes sense to recover them as quickly as possible.”

The three grandfather clocks were made in 1730 by Englishman William Trippett and acquired by King João V, who ordered the palace’s construction. They make up part of the splendour of the palace, with one being placed in the basilica sacristy, with the other two in the convent (one in the food hall and the other in the lobby).

The National Palace of Mafra was built in the 18th century with the wealth generated from Brazilian gold and is one of the most important examples of baroque architecture in Portugal. The monument was classified in 2019 as a UNESCO World Heritage site.