George in Lisbon. Castle St

When going on a trip or vacation, everyone wants to visit amazing places and cities that have their own spirit and atmosphere. Arriving there, you can instantly immerse yourself in their mood and feel how the locals live. It is this kind of vacation that will leave behind indelible impressions that will warm your heart for a long time. Many, without even hesitating, go to Europe. And one beautiful European country, its capital and attractions will be discussed in this article.

The sparkling pearl of the Atlantic

Portugal... This is truly a fantastic country! It extends in the southwest and includes two North Atlantic archipelagos. Many are not mistaken in calling this country the pearl of the Iberian Peninsula. It covers approximately 100,000 square kilometers and is washed by the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

It is generally accepted that the first inhabitants to inhabit modern Portugal were the Celts. They were fairly peaceful people, but if necessary they knew how to defend their territory. They cultivated the favorable Pyrenean soil and were engaged in cattle breeding.

Be that as it may, it is safe to say that this area has a fairly rich historical past. The country of Portugal was under Spanish rule for a long time, but about 60 years after the conquest, it regained its long-awaited independence.

Lisbon is an ancient city where time has stood still forever

The main attention of tourists who come to the country is directed to the inimitable Lisbon. located in the westernmost part of the Iberian Peninsula in the very place where the famous Tagus River merges with the Atlantic Ocean.

Lisbon, by the way, is many times older than cities such as Rome, Paris and London, and for more than ten years has been one of the most visited cities in the world and in Europe in particular. And this is not surprising, because the city is quite interesting and offers many places to spend your free time pleasantly and usefully.

Local landmark - St. George's Castle

Yes, the original nature, excellent cuisine and excellent wines, combined with the friendliness of the local people, make the country truly a piece of paradise for travelers. However, Lisbon would have lost its charm if the beautiful and impregnable Castle of St. George had not been located in its mountainous part.

This fortress is evidence of what proud and brave tribes inhabited Portugal in the past. Having carefully examined the building, one can come to the conclusion that strong stone bricks and high walls made it practically invulnerable at that time.

Reconstruction and symbolism of the fortress

Regular hostilities soon affected the external condition of the castle. That is why already in the 10th century. The Moors-Berbers (tribes that inhabited the territory of modern Portugal at that time) began to repair the powerful castle and soon put it in order, thanks to which tourists can still admire its powerful fortifications.

St. George's Castle also has its own unique symbolism. It is a white shield-shaped coat of arms, which also features five small blue shields. All this indicates that the fortress had important defensive significance.

The turbulent history of the fortress

Later, the fortress became a royal residence.

The saint has always been considered the patron saint of England, so after Portugal signed the Treaty of Windsor with her, the castle, which had long demonstrated its power, received its current official name - St. George's Castle.

A fortress over which time has no power

This structure is the pinnacle of the city of Lisbon. The capital of Portugal rightfully considers it its most famous and famous landmark. The Castle of St. George is spread over seven hills. Climbing onto its powerful walls, you can see almost the whole of Lisbon.

The building is located inside an old fortress, on the territory of which even the ruins of the ancient royal palace have been preserved. This is truly an impressive sight.

The Castle of St. George covers an area of ​​6,000 square meters. The builders of the sixth century worked hard to erect a building that would evoke enthusiastic exclamations on the lips of its visitors for more than one millennium.

At the entrance to the fortress there are impressive-sized cannons, which remind residents of the purpose for which this structure was built. The Castle of St. George has a dungeon, namely rooms or chambers. They now house an archaeological museum with exhibits that can tell a lot about the history and culture of past generations.

The fortress is equipped with several beautiful towers. One of them, the treasury tower, has an optical device consisting of lenses, thanks to which you can see all the sights of the capital of Portugal at a glance.

The Lawrence Tower was built for a different purpose. It was located slightly outside the fortress, which allowed it to very successfully fulfill its defensive function. The entire building is made in a romantic-Gothic style. It smells like the Middle Ages, it seems that a knight in armor is about to come out and lead you behind the gloomy walls of the fortress or along the narrow corridors for which the Castle of St. George (Lisbon) is famous.

The building is adjacent to a garden, whose rich vegetation, thanks to the warm climate, can be admired almost all year round. The beauty and enchanting atmosphere of this area is worth visiting the Castle of St. George (Portugal) at least once. These are impressions that even over time will not be erased from memory.

There are places on earth that fascinate you and don’t want to let go, and Portugal is one of them. Locals They treat tourists with joy and hospitality, making the city seem even warmer and more welcoming. Wine and traditional dishes will add bright colors to an already pleasant holiday.

The Castle of St. George in Lisbon is a wonderful historical building, long time acting as a fortress wall protecting the Portuguese capital from foreign invaders. Its history has lasted for more than two thousand years and can easily tell about the most significant events in the history of the metropolis, including the devastating earthquake of 1755.

The long-standing historical building was erected by the Visigoths in the 6th century, then it belonged to the Romans, and then to the Moors and was rebuilt many times by their tribes. The latter, by the way, inhabited this territory for several centuries and made it their refuge. The liberation of the wall occurred only in 1147 thanks to the brave Portuguese monarch Afonso Henriques. Since then, the fortress was turned into a royal residence and was actively used by the rulers. It was here that the most significant events in the history of Portugal during the Great Period took place. geographical discoveries(the expeditionary victories of Vasco da Gama and other famous navigators were celebrated).

After construction more luxury castle in Baixa and moving the residence there, the Palace of St. George was used as:
-theater
- prisons
- arsenal.
The earthquake of 1755, which turned it into ruins, had a particularly detrimental effect on the significance of the building. It was possible to breathe life into the old buildings only in 1938 under the rule of the harsh dictator Salazar. By order of the latter, the fortress walls were significantly restored, and not far from them a beautiful city park with several monuments, fountains and numerous green spaces was organized.
During the excursion to the Castle of St. George, you can walk along the fortress walls, enjoy the incomparable landscapes of the city opening from the roof of the palace, relax in the picturesque garden, delighting visitors with clean lakes with ducks, geese and peacocks.
It is worth noting that with observation deck In São Jorge you can see not only the general panorama of the city and the tiled roofs of houses, but also consider some, in particular: the statue of Christ, Rossio Square, Praça do Comércio, the Santa Justa funicular and some others.
In addition, the building regularly hosts multimedia exhibitions telling the story. Among the projections there are videos about the journey of Vasco da Gama during the opening of the sea route to India, the events of the earthquake of 1755, a story about the fall of the Church of Carmo and other significant events that occurred in the Portuguese capital from the time of the Inquisition to the reign of Salazar.

Castle of St. George in Lisbon: opening hours

You can enjoy the incomparable interiors and openwork bas-reliefs of the castle during the season (from March to October) from 9 to 21, and in the absence of an influx of tourists (in the remaining months) - from 9 to 18. Despite the fact that, as a rule, the building is ready to receive guests daily and may be closed during national holidays.

Castle of St. George in Lisbon: ticket prices

The cost of visiting the beautiful medieval fortress will cost almost 9 euros for adults; for children you will have to pay about 5 euros. If you want to save money, if you go to the castle with a large family, you can buy a comprehensive family pass.

Castle of St. George in Lisbon: how to get there?

Located in the historical part of the city, the Alfama district, near the Tagus River embankment. You can get there in several ways:
— by metro (a hundred meters from the attraction there is the Martim Moniz underground transport stop)
- by tram on route No. 28 (necessary stop Miradouro de Santa Luzia)
- as a result of a scenic trip on the old Gloria ski lift.
Lovers increased comfort You can also use the services of taxi drivers who, for 10 euros, will take you to St. George's Castle from almost anywhere in the Portuguese capital.

◎ St. George's Castle is located in the very center of Lisbon, on a high hill, and is visible from almost anywhere in the city. The castle operates as a museum and there is an entrance fee.

◎ From here it opens beautiful view to the center of Lisbon, the Tagus River and its south coast. On weekends there are often events held inside the castle. various events, for example, teaching everyone how to shoot a crossbow.

◎ More than a dozen peacocks live here, freely walking among visitors, and there are a couple of coffee shops and a restaurant where you can have a snack, drink a glass of wine and enjoy the stunning view of the city.

St. George's Castle - history

◎ The first traces of human presence here date back to the 6th century. BC and relate at least to the Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians. However, the chronicle dates back only to the time of the conquest of Spain by the Romans, who erected the first defensive structures here to protect against the Lusitanians and named the city Olisipo. Later, in 60 BC. Gaius Julius Caesar completed the conquest of Lusitania and gave the city the title Felicitas Julia, which allowed its inhabitants to receive all the privileges of Roman citizenship.

◎ Over the centuries, the city was attacked by barbarians and in the middle of the 5th century it was captured by the Suevi and later by the Visigoths. Later, in the 8th century, the city came under the rule of Muslims, who called it Al-Ushbuna or Lisbona. During the Muslim presence, the fortress underwent its first major restoration since the Romans. Subsequently, the city was constantly attacked during the reconquista, the reconquest by Christians of the lands of the Iberian Peninsula occupied by the Moors. It was only in 1147, during the Second Crusade, that Afonso I Henriques, the first king of Portugal after declaring its independence from the Kingdom of Leon, managed to conquer the fortress and city after a three-month siege. The castle was named in honor of the holy martyr George the Victorious.

◎ In the 13th century, when Lisbon became the capital of the kingdom (1255), the castle of St. George became the royal residence and continued to remain so until the 16th century. Then the residence is moved to the newly built Ribeira Palace (Paço da Ribeira - river palace) on the site of the modern Plaza of Commerce (Praça do Comércio). From that time on, the castle was used as a prison and then as the headquarters of an organization for the protection of the rights of children and adolescents (1780-1807). ◎ In 1910, the castle was recognized as a national monument. The next major restoration work was carried out in 1940 and 1990.

Castle of St. George in Lisbon - how to get there

Sometimes the road to the castle can cause some difficulties for unprepared tourists.

Firstly: you have to go up, so wear comfortable shoes (it’s better to walk in Lisbon in soft shoes without heels) and take your time. Along the way, you can stop at your favorite cafe (pastelaria) and eat a traditional cake.

Secondly: It can be difficult for new travelers to find the road to the castle. We have made a small map for you, which shows an interesting route to the castle right from the arch on (Praça do Comércio).

You will pass three old churches and the Lisbon cathedral, and there will also be an observation deck along the way. Don’t be afraid to deviate from your route and turn onto a street that interests you. There are many cozy and pretty alleys in this area.

Castle of St. George - ticket prices and opening hours:

Tickets: adult - 8.50 €, discount (students, under 25 years old, 65+) - 5 €, children under 10 years old - free
By card - 7.50€

Castle of St. George (Castelo de São Jorge, Castelo de Sau Jorge) sacred place for the Portuguese. It was with the conquest of the Moorish fortress, standing on a high hill at the mouth of the Tagus, by Don Alfonso Henriques on October 25, 1147, that a country called Portugal and a city named Lisbon began, and Don Alfonso Henriques, as expected, became the first king, the founder of the dynasty. The most ancient Portuguese legends are associated with this place. However, many tourists consider visiting the castle not a mandatory point of visiting Lisbon, as they say it is just another observation deck from which another wonderful view of Lisbon opens, and this observation deck, unlike many others, is paid.

But as an eyewitness who examined the fortress, I will tell you that a certain charm is still hidden in the castle of St. George. The view from the castle walls is truly stunning; only from the hill you can view Lisbon from almost all sides, look into the small courtyards located under the very walls of the castle, and touch truly ancient stones. Despite all the tourist hype of the castle, at the top of the hill there is a feeling of peace, solemnity and slowness of what is happening. Next, I will share my impressions of visiting the fortress, so that you can decide for yourself whether this is what you need?

St. George's Castle on top of a hill

The Castle of St. George is clearly visible from anywhere in Lisbon, it stands on a high hill above the city. We climbed to the castle on foot from Plaza Commerce, you will have to walk uphill, but on the way you can see the Lisbon Cathedral, admire the views of the city from the Santa Luzia observation deck, look at the magnificent azulejo panels decorating it, and if you wish, go down to Alfama and take a walk around the ancient district of the city, which has preserved medieval buildings.

If you don’t want to walk at all, then you can drive up to the entrance to the castle by bus No. 37 or trams No. 28 and 12. Only a bus drives up to the entrance itself from the tram stop and continue on.

Counter opposite the bus stop

Ticket prices for St. George's Castle

A ticket to the castle costs 8.5 €, free for children under 10 years old. The castle is open daily from 9 am to 9 pm, entry closes 30 minutes before 9 pm. During the high tourist season, there may be queues for tickets. Near the ticket office you can pick up a brochure with explanations for the inspection in Russian.

Map of St. George's Castle

The price of the ticket to the fortress includes a visit to the camera obscura and the archaeological area with a guide. These events are held in Portuguese and English by session, so immediately upon entering, ask when the next session will be in English to plan your visit. The official website of the Castle of St. George does not indicate the time of the sessions; the Portuguese websites leave much to be desired.

Gate to the castle, 1842

History of St. George's Castle

Naturally, as archaeological excavations have confirmed, people lived on a high hill above the Tagus River from the 7th-8th centuries BC, long before the appearance of the first states, cities and borders. There is written evidence that protective walls stood on the top of the hill during the time of the ancient Romans. But we are still more interested in the moment of formation of Portuguese statehood.

The already mentioned Don Alfonso Henriques (Enriques means son of Henry, i.e. in those distant times, almost patronymic names were in use on the Iberian Peninsula), born Count of Portugal, at the age of only 14 years old, expelled his mother from her lands, who was not eager to cede power to the grown-up son, defeated her ally the Castilian king, thus achieving the independence of his county and devoted many years of his life to wars with the Moors, who were firmly established in the south of his possessions.

Monument to Don Alfonso Henriques on the grounds of the castle

Don Alfonso was not only a skilled warrior, but also a clever politician. He managed to win over the French knights who went to the Second Crusade. Instead of liberating the Holy Sepulcher, the knights began to fight against the Moors on the territory of the Iberian Peninsula. The siege of the Moorish castle, standing on the site of the current Castle of St. George, lasted for 4 long months.

Of course, the capture of the last stronghold of the Moors would not have been possible without the legendary hero. They say that the crusaders managed to break into the fortress thanks to the self-sacrifice of the knight Martim Moniz. The hero found secret door to the fortress, and with a small detachment of knights entered into an unequal battle with the Moors. Martim Moniz literally prevented this door from being closed with his body until the main forces arrived. The same gate is still shown in the castle. I personally am quite skeptical about such statements; more than 9 centuries have passed since then, according to the official chronology. Are there real objects on earth created by human hands that can withstand such a period, survive devastating earthquake?

Martim Moniz Gate, photograph from 1908

We did not see the Moniz gate because it was undergoing renovations at the time of our visit; modern photographs of the gate on the Internet no longer show the bust of the beardless young man and the memorial plaque dedicated to him. A large square in the city center and the metro station located there bear the name of the legendary knight Martim Moniz. Those. Until now, the hero is respected by both those in power and the common people.

From the moment the fortress was taken, a golden age began for the Castle of St. George. All Portuguese kings kept their official residence in the castle for four centuries, from the 13th to the 16th centuries.

Illustration for a manuscript from 1505, it is clear that the castle is significantly different from what we see now

Naturally, during this time a lot was built and a lot was demolished. Almost nothing remains of the royal palaces. Now in the building that previously belonged royal residence A rather expensive restaurant has opened, but the interior is extremely simple; only Gothic brick vaults have been preserved from the old days. And with such views from the observation deck, lunch in the interior looks strange; even the most luxurious ambiance of the restaurant cannot surpass the view of Lisbon from the castle walls.

Ruins of the former royal palace

At the end of the 16th century, the royal court left the Castle of St. George, the era of great geographical discoveries began, money poured into Portugal with unprecedented force. The king feels so confident in his country that he no longer needs to protect his residence with the help of thick castle walls. New huge royal palace Ribeira in the style a la Versailles is being built on the very banks of the Tagus River, on the site where the Plaza de Commerce is now located. From this moment the decline begins. Barracks are being built on the territory of the castle, and for a long time the castle belonged to the military. The earthquake of 1755 caused significant damage to the fortress walls.

Only at the beginning of the 20th century was the Castle of St. George awarded the honorary title of a national monument and restoration work began. It is difficult to say how old exactly those walls that we can see now are; they were almost certainly thoroughly renovated quite recently; nothing lasts forever under the moon. The restoration also included the demolition of barracks buildings and institutions of later construction.

This is what the castle looked like in the 19th century

Archaeological excavations were carried out confirming the antiquity of the castle. Now what was found during excavations is exhibited in a special archaeological museum, but all these shards and fragments of bygone times are unlikely to impress anyone. Archaeological museums in Portugal can only interest narrow specialists in archeology; most tourists will not find anything interesting there.

What to do at St. George's Castle?

You just need to walk around the castle and enjoy the views from its walls. Perhaps having lunch at one of the stone tables is a great idea. There is only one restaurant on the territory, the prices there are a little high due to the popularity of the place, but nothing prevents you from taking sandwiches bought in the store with you.

Tables and benches on the castle walls

We bought ourselves a glass of port at the mobile kiosk “Wine with view”, sat and enjoyed the excellent view of the city.

At St. George's Castle
Tagus River, 25 April Bridge and Cristo Rei
Rooftops of Lisbon, Figueira Square included in the frame
Courtyards of local residents under the very walls of the castle

I highly recommend visiting the Camera Obscura. The camera obscura is located in the treasury tower or archive tower. Consistently, all royal wealth (tax revenues and royal rent) and valuable government securities were kept in Torre do Tombo. To this day, the national archive of Portugal bears the name Torre do Tombo, which literally means archive tower.

As I already mentioned, the visit to the Camera Obscura is organized in sessions in Portuguese and English. The essence of the attraction is that a clever, purely mechanical device of lenses and mirrors projects the image of Lisbon onto a concave mirror. The camera employee shows the audience various monuments and buildings in Lisbon and talks about them. Using a lever, the guide moves the image across the mirror, so in reality we saw the whole city in 20 minutes. Since the process occurs in real time, the camera obscura may be closed in bad weather.

Camera obscura, photo from the official website of the Castle

Of course we climbed all the fortress walls. We took 10,000 photos.

Castle walls

But we didn’t have time to visit the Moorish quarter (XI-XII centuries) with a guide; the last session had already ended. The archaeological zone itself does not look interesting at all; you can only see foundations there.

Archaeological area of ​​the Castle
Archaeological area of ​​the castle

The main treasures of the Moorish Quarter are hidden under a reinforced concrete case, so you won’t be able to see anything on your own. The brochure promises to show 2 buildings, total area 160 and 190 sq. m, decorated with geometric patterns in the Moorish style. The main value of these buildings is that they date from the 11th-12th centuries, i.e. this is pre-Portuguese period. If anyone has been on this excursion, please share the details in the comments. Portuguese cat
Tourists have nothing to give the peacock

In general, the Castle of St. George is certainly a very ancient place, very significant for the Portuguese, but you need to soberly evaluate the nature of the exhibition. Usually ancient artifacts do not look very beautiful and the antiquity of the relics itself is not able to amaze the vast majority of tourists. However, we really enjoyed the walk around the castle; we don’t at all regret the money spent on entrance tickets.

Later we visited the Moors' castle in Sintra and concluded that both of these castles were built in the same style, the main thing there being the impressive views from the walls and the surrounding nature. In the Moors' Castle in Sintra, the concept of nature includes forest, plants and flowers, and in the Castle of St. George in Lisbon - peacocks, cats and Mediterranean pines.

In the next article I will tell you. The article will be prepared based on materials from a travel brochure that came into my hands in Lisbon.

Want to travel to Lisbon on your own? Read in one short article. You will learn: about all types of transfer from the airport (cost), about the cost of tickets for public transport, get a plan for exploring the city for 6 days, find out which museums are worth visiting and which ones to skip.

The Moorish fortress is located on the Serra de Sintra mountain, in Sintra. The fortress was built by the Moors between the 9th and 10th centuries, and already in 1147 it was stormed by Alfon Henry during the war in the name of establishing Christian rule in Portugal. After the 15th century, the fortress ceased to be a strategic object and to this day delights numerous travelers.

The walls of the fortress stand on huge boulders, and with watchtowers It offers panoramic views of the city, green parks and the nearby Pena Palace. The flags of Portugal from different times fly on these same towers. Inside the fortress you will find drinking water tanks built by the Moors in case of a siege.

The opportunity to walk along the winding stairs, admire the city from a bird's eye view and visit the nearby Pena Palace will cost you 12 euros.

Coordinates: 38.79254300,-9.38933900

Fortress of St. George

Situated in the historical center of the city, on a hill, St. George's Castle is the main castle of Lisbon. Local residents most often call this castle the “Cradle of the City”, since it is believed that the history of the capital of Portugal began in this place.

It is generally accepted that the settlement of this area began long before the arrival of the Romans. At the very top of the hill there was a fortress protecting the Tagus River and the surrounding area. In the period from the 5th century BC. and until the beginning of the 8th century, the fortress belonged to the West Goths, but then it was captured by the Saracens. Some of the walls that have survived to this day were built during the reign of the Moors, which lasted until 1147. After the expulsion of the Moors, Afonso Henriques founded his kingdom. Three hundred years later, magnificent celebrations were held in this castle on the occasion of the return of Vasco da Gama from India. After the residence of the kings moved, St. George's Castle served as a theater, prison and arsenal. Like many historical buildings, it was severely damaged during the 1755 earthquake.

The castle is currently hosting a wonderful multimedia exhibition about the biggest events in the history of Lisbon.

Coordinates: 38.71390300,-9.13363800

Monsaraz Fortress

Monsaraz is a small Portuguese border walled hilltop town overlooking the vast Alentejo landscape, vineyards, olive groves, neighboring Spain and the Guadiana River, the natural border between Spain and Portugal.

The fortified city is located literally a few kilometers north of Moran, and also on a mountain. However, unlike neighboring Palmela and Moran, all historical center The city is located inside the fortress walls and is perfectly preserved; outside of them there are only a few houses.

In our era, Monsaraz belonged in turn to the Romans, Moors, Visigoths and many other tribes. Modern history The castle in Monsaraz dates back to the time of the Knights Templar. They erected fortress walls and a citadel in the 13th century, and the city took its significant place in the chain of defensive structures of Portugal.

Now you can walk inside the city, through the ancient walls, without hindrance at any time of the day or night. Adjacent to the city wall on the inside is a citadel, also well preserved, with free and free entry.

Coordinates: 38.44323700,-7.38071600