SAO JORGE'S CASTLE
Location:Rua de Santa Cruz do Castelo | Lisboa
Contacts
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Telefone: (+351) 218 800 620
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E-mail: info@castelodesaojorge.pt
The first fortified constructions of the current São Jorge Castle (formerly Paço da Alcaçova) dates from the 1st century BC. Over time it was rebuilt by various peoples, having received various names. By order of King João I (14th century) the castle was renamed Castelo de São Jorge, patron saint of knights and crusades.
Over the centuries, as said above, the castle underwent renovations that changed its original features. At the beginning of the 20th century, the castle was in an advanced state of ruin, having been, in the 1940s, the target of extensive reconstruction works, raising a large part of the walls and raising many of the towers. Contrary to what one might think, the "medieval character" of this military ensemble is due to this reconstruction campaign, and not to the preservation of the castle's space from the Middle Ages to the present day.
It was declared a National Monument in 1910
The castle itself had its foundation in the 10th and 11th centuries, when Lisbon was an important Muslim port city. In 1147, the first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques, conquered the castle and the city from the Moors.
Between the century 13th and the century 16th the castle had its most important period.
It was in the castle that King Manuel I (16th century) received Vasco da Gama after his sea voyage to India and that the first Portuguese theater play, by Gil Vicente, was performed on the occasion of the birth of King John III.
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The castle stands in a dominant position on the highest hill of Libon, today's historic centre, offering visitors one of the most beautiful views over the city and the Tagus estuary.
Inside, the museum center stands out, where you can see the history of Lisbon, and the Tower of Ulysses. The city's legendary founder gives its name to the castle's ancient Tombo Tower, where a periscope allows you to observe the city in 360º in real time.
Open to the public seven days a week, Castelo de S. Jorge is a place where you can enjoy the heritage and learn about its history.
Let yourself be enchanted by the many cultural and recreational activities that this remarkable monument in Lisbon has in store for you.
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GPS coordinates: 38º 42' 51''N 9th 8' W