Castle of the Moors

Sintra, Portugal

The Castle of the Moors is a hilltop medieval castle built by the Moors in the 8th and 9th centuries. It was an important strategic point during the Reconquista, and was taken by Christian forces after the fall of Lisbon in 1147. It is classified as a National Monument, part of the Sintra Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During the second half of the 12th century, the chapel constructed within the walls of the castle became the parish seat. This was followed by the remodelling and construction under the initiative of King Sancho I of Portugal. In 1375 King Ferdinand I of Portugal, under the counsel of João Annes de Almada, ordered the rebuilding of the castle. While the structure was well fortified by 1383, its military importance was progressively diminishing as, more and more, the inhabitants were abandoning the castle for the old village of Sintra.

By 1493 this chapel was abandoned and later only used by the small Jewish community of the parish. The Jews occupying and using the structures in the castle were expelled by Manuel I of Portugal, and the castle was completely abandoned.

The 1755 Lisbon earthquake caused considerable damage to the chapel and affected the stability of the castle. By 1838 the towers were already in ruins, when in 1840 Ferdinand II of Portugal took up the task of conserving and improving the condition of the castle.

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Founded: 8th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Portugal

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Layne Kelley (35 days ago)
We did the hike from town all the way up to the Castle. It was a steep, ~ 40 minute hike up to the castle through the forest on a well marked, mostly cobblestone path, also a good number of stone stairs. If you like hiking and are wearing comfortable shoes and clothes I would highly recommend doing this. Otherwise there are options to drive most of the way and only walk about 10 minutes to the castle. Anyway, the view from the castle is stunning. When we walked through the archway to finally see the view and felt the strong wind (it was pretty hot on the way up and we were sweating!) it was an incredible sight and feeling. One of the coolest hikes I’ve ever done with an amazing view. I’m really happy we visited this castle it was one of the biggest highlights of our day in Sintra (the other was Pena Palace which we visited right after this one).
Angelina J (2 months ago)
Very cool. Everything is marked with signs and explanation. The views are great. Gives your vertigo a bit of a challenge climbing the tight staircases. Worth the climb. Dogs are welcome. There are dog parking stations with small caves to sit in and keep cool. These are for the couple of small areas the dogs are not allowed. Hand onto your kids for their safety and others.
Jarne (2 months ago)
I really loved this castle. Although there is not much from the old houses/living places left. There is a lot to take pictures from if you like watching over a vast landscape, old castle walls and flowers/plants. It wasn't too crowded when we came. At times I could take pictures with nobody on it. And other times I had to wait to cross a section of the wall. I definitely suggest this place if you like photography! Also be carefully with hats, it can get windy up on the castlewalls!
BC (3 months ago)
Awesome!… Must see. We walked all the way up from town up the hill paths.. very challenging if you are not fit do not attempt. Take tuk-tuk. Castle walls had amazing views and are pretty impressive! Moorish castle was beautiful and grand, we started a tour and heavy rain started, made for a nice foggy castle view pictures after the tour. Must see. Book 3 days in advance to get 15% discount. Family package gets discount too. Very impressive site overall. Could be a half a day or a full day adventure. Nice town of Sintra with cafes at the bottom of the hill to spend the rest of the day.
Bob Rodgers (3 months ago)
Amazing ruins with great views of the surrounding area. The hike all the way to the top was challenging and not for those afraid of heights. It was a windy and foggy day, especially the higher up you went, which made going up and down a little dangerous, as there's people walking both ways on the same stairs and no handrail in some places. We purchased our tickets for the castle at the first ticket booth, though there is another one right at the entrance. Also a cafe with snacks and drinks inside.
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