Palmela Castle

This castle offers a magnificent view over the plain situated inbetween Tagus and Sado estuaries, as well as over the neighbouring mountains of Louro, São Francisco and Arrábida. The castle was built by the Moors and occupied by the troops of D. Afonso Henriques in 1147. From that time on, it was constantly lost and won back again. It was not until D. Sancho I ruling in 1205 that the castle was permanently conquered. The castle was donated to the Order of Santiago that settled here in 1210. The walls benefit from a 230m high elevation. From the top of the castle, it was possible to communicate by light signing or whelks with neighbouring castles, including the Lisbon Castle. One of these whelks is exhibited to the public on the upper floor of the Arms’ Square, in a room used for military transmissions during the 19th century. A Neolithic necropolis was found inside one of the four castle cisterns, situated at the Arms’ Square. Several traces of the Muslim influence that lasted for four centuries are still to be seen nowadays, such as: mortar and clay floors, patios, corridors, doors, draining channels, silos and fragments of ceramic utensils. Westwards from the castle lays the former convent that was built in 1423 by D. João I and donated to the warrior monks of the Order of Santiago. Part of the building houses one of the most beautiful pousadas.

www.cm-palmela.pt

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