A stone's throw from the historic centre of Sintra, the Monserrate Park and Palace is the most beautiful architectural and landscape creation of Romanticism in Portugal. Both were designed and built by Sir Francis Cook (1817-1901), merchant and art collector who was then one of the richest men in Britain. The Palace combines Gothic influences, Indian and Moorish, and decorated with exotic and plant motifs. The lush English gardens to have species from around the world and were organized by geographical areas. The Park and Palace of Monserrate were classified of Public Interest in 1975, integrating the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. In 2013 the Monserrate Park was awarded a European Garden Award in category of "Best Development of a Park or Historic Garden".