Description of the attraction
The medieval castle of the Moors is located at the top of the Serra da Sintra mountain range, offering stunning views of the municipality of Sintra, as well as Mafra and Ericeira. At the foot of the park there is a landscape park.
The castle is, as it were, divided into two parts - the castle itself and the fortification system (walls), which run along the base of the ridge. It was the main strategic site during the Reconquista, when the Christians of the Iberian Peninsula reclaimed land from the Arabs. Today the castle is classified as a national monument.
The castle was built in the 8th century, during the Arab occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. The castle was on a hill, and it was a very good location in terms of protecting the population. In 1147, after the conquest of Lisbon, the castle was conquered by Christians led by Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, or rather, the Moors voluntarily surrendered. The king entrusted the protection of the castle to 30 inhabitants, granting them privileges with his royal charter, which prescribed that the settlers should live in the castle, and also make every effort to ensure the protection of Sintra and do everything for the development of the region. In the second half of the 12th century, a chapel was built inside the castle, which became a place of prayer for parishioners. At the end of the 14th century, the castle was renovated and the walls were fortified. Over time, the inhabitants of the castle moved to a nearby village. During the Lisbon earthquake, the castle was damaged, the chapel was almost destroyed. The restoration of the castle was started only at the end of the 19th century, during the reign of King Ferdinando II of Portugal.
