When, in 1717, King John V began construction of the Mafra Palace, written by the Chief Architect of the Kingdom João Frederico Ludovice Mafra was barely a few hamlets that huddled around the monument. The era was also marked by the construction of a garden () and the establishment of the royal hunting park (); building projects continued throughout the reigns of Kings Joseph I (the construction and completion of the Mafra Palace), John VI (the interiors of the Palace) and Ferdinand (the redesign of the Jardim do Cerco). Yet, William Beckford, writing in August 1787, noted that Mafra was of little interest, and nothing more than a few rooftops nestled in mountains.