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When visiting Lisbon, its hard to miss the imposing structure that presides over the city on the highest hilltop.
Castelo de São Jorge….The Castle of Saint George.
One of the oldest edifices in Lisbon, the castle is also one of the most visited sites in the capital city. Once housing Portuguese troops and Vasco da Gama during his stays in Lisbon after his returns from sea voyages, it later acted as the residence of the Moorish royals. It was conquered in 1147 by Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal and was named after Saint George, the patron saint of England, due to the assistance received by Portugal from the English. The castle retained its function as a residence of kings until King Manuel I ordered the construction of the Ribeira Palace, which became the new royal seat in the 16th century.
After the move, the castle was no longer utilized and fell into a long period of decay, with the earthquake of 1755 causing irreparable damage. Today, after a complete restoration in 1938, what visitors to the site experience are the main walls of the fortifications, several rebuilt rooms and eleven towers, including the Tower of Ulysses, which houses the Camera Obscura, offering a 360 degree of the city, the Tower of the Keep, the Tower of Riches (or Trumbling Tower), Tower of the Palace, Tower of the Cistern and Tower of St. Lawrence.
After the long walk uphill toward the castle and waiting in line to purchase tickets just outside the castle walls, we entered and made our way to the outer fortifications which overlook the city. Panoramic views are on display and for the first-timer to Lisbon, this is an outstanding way to garner an understanding of how the city is laid out. I must admit, it took my breath away!
A restaurant is located here on the promenade and wine vendors offer Portuguese samplings to quench your thirst in the hot, sunny afternoons.
Making our way into the interior of the structure, we marveled at the towering walls and walked along the ramparts admiring both the views and the wind whipping the country’s flags.
Ruins of older structures and a cistern were visible in the courtyard as well as a small door on the northern wall called the Door of Treason which allowed secret messengers to enter or exit as needed. Take a moment to have a seat in one of the garden areas and admire the many pieces of sculptures that adorn the premises. The gardens of Castelo de St. Jorge is a place to be cherished as it is one of the only remaining green spaces in Lisbon where native species of the Portuguese forest hold court. Here, visitors can observe trees such as cork oaks, carobs, strawberry, umbrella pines and various fruit trees.
While there are other, more beautiful and more preserved castles throughout the country, Castelo de St. Jorge is easy to reach and is rich in history. More importantly, with its prominent location high above the city, it is the perfect place to start your exploration of the Portuguese capital.
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Castelo de São Jorge
- http://castelodesaojorge.pt/pt/
- Address: R. de Santa Cruz do Castelo, 1100-129 Lisboa, Portugal
- Hours: November 1-February 28, 0900-1800, daily. March 1-October 31, 0900-2100, daily. Closed December 24, 25, 31, January 1, May 1.
- Admission: Adults, 8.50€, Students under 25 years, 5€, Family (2 adults, 2 children) 20€, Seniors (over 65), 5€