“Amelia’s Children” is a Portuguese mystical horror film inspired by Goya’s paintings, the myths of Oedipus, and Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The plot centers around the main character arriving at a peculiar estate in Portugal, which is rife with occult activities.
The irony lies in the fact that real estate properties in Portugal are even more bizarre, eerie, and astonishing than those depicted in films. Take, for instance, the Regaleira estate, home to the Well of Initiation, which could be straight out of a Gothic horror tale.
In the mid-19th century, an eccentric millionaire by the name of Carvalho Monteiro resided in Portugal. He amassed his wealth through the trade of precious stones and coffee from Brazil. Additionally, he was a Freemason, believed to be of high rank.
With his fortune, Monteiro constructed an estate called Regaleira, which is akin to stepping into a medieval alchemist’s fantasy. The estate and its park form a grand occult metaphor, composed of numerous smaller occult symbols.
Above ground, a garden flourishes, divided into two sections: one meticulously maintained and the other purposefully untended. They represent the dual nature of spirit and beast within each person.
The Gothic palace is adorned with gargoyles, and the park brims with statues of deities and Masonic symbols. Lakes, grottoes, and caves serve as symbols, and everything is interlinked in a specific system, known only to the millionaire Monteiro.
However, the most striking feature of the estate is the Initiation Well, a sight that is truly breathtaking.
The Initiation Well is akin to an inverted tower extending 27 meters underground. It features nine levels, mirroring the nine circles of Hell.
The well is composed of nine flights with 15 steps each. It is said that the Italian architect Luigi Manini, who designed the well, intended for the nine flights of stairs to symbolize the nine circles of hell described by Dante in his poem “The Divine Comedy”.
At its base lies Monteiro’s coat of arms, showcasing an eight-pointed star with a Templar cross at its center. Adorning one of the walls is a luminous triangle, a symbol associated with Freemasonry.
To ascend or descend, one must traverse a spiral staircase flanked by stone balustrades, alongside a wall featuring arches fully cloaked in various hues of moss.
Legend holds that the entrance to the Well of Initiation is protected by stone sentinels from another realm.
Blindfolded, the student descended, a bare sword held aloft against his chest. At the base, a new trial awaited: a well leading to four distinct tunnels, each a labyrinthine challenge.
The initiate’s task was to ascend back to daylight, navigating past the stunning vistas visible through the passage’s arches. A section of the tunnel, intentionally inundated, required nimble stone-to-stone leaps reminiscent of a Masonic Mario. At last, the neophyte reached the Chapel, greeted by his brethren, and was welcomed into the fold of the order.
All of this represents katabasis, a mystical descent into the underworld. The initiate would undergo a symbolic death and, upon rebirth, experience anabasis, or ascent. This is a classic symbol originating from ancient pagan rituals.
The estate has been converted into a museum, and the adjacent town of Sintra acquired it, surprisingly, from the Japanese corporation Aoki for conservation purposes. It’s possible to create a personal Disneyland complete with a katabasis theme and gargoyles.
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