Everyone has it large city have your own heart. Castle of St. George - historical Center Lisbon, Kremlin of the Portuguese capital. For many centuries, it has been observing thousands of years of European history from behind its stone walls. Ancient fortress At first it was in the possession of the Romans, Visigoths, and Moors. In 1147, the castle passed to the first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques. Since then, the Portuguese have considered it one of the symbols of statehood. Nowadays, the castle introduces tourists to medieval history; there is an impressive collection of cannons and an archaeological museum. The complex is remembered for its calm atmosphere and coolness. Mesmerizes with gorgeous panoramic views of the whole of Lisbon with red tiled roofs and the Tagus River.
The history of St. George's Castle begins at the turn of two eras. At different times it belonged to the Romans and Visigoths. Then in 1147 it was liberated by the Crusaders from the Moors. The commander of the crusaders, Afonso Henriques, became the first ruler of the country. Until the 16th century, the castle was the residence of the ruling people.
The castle is clearly visible from anywhere in Lisbon. The battlements of the fortress walls are clearly visible against the background of the blue sky, and the foundation of the building seems to be a single whole with the hill on which it is located.
The architecture of the castle is truly impressive. It is distinguished by its special massiveness and restrained symmetry of the entire structure. The appearance is complemented by many architectural elements. The fortress is surrounded by a moat with an arch-shaped bridge and two rows of walls. Along the perimeter there are 18 watch and corner towers and an external fortification - a barbican.
The entrance to the fortress territory is closed by massive gates. After them you find yourself in courtyard with its own atmosphere. It is calm here, there is a lot of lush greenery, there are benches in the shade, birds are walking around. Attention is immediately drawn to the statue of Afonso Henriques (the first Portuguese king who expelled the Moors from the fortress). A whole collection of medieval weapons testifies to a glorious and formidable history medieval castle. The original residence of the rulers has practically not been preserved; now there is a restaurant in this inner palace. If you go around the palace, you can see the entrance to the archaeological museum. Its halls contain exhibits from the territory of the fortress from the beginning of its history to the 18th century. An educational program has been prepared for visitors - the museum is showing a multimedia historical show about Lisbon, “Olyssiponia”. There is evidence that a meeting between the legendary traveler Vasco da Gama and King Manuel took place in the museum hall.
Don’t miss the opportunity to stand on the fortress walls and walk around the castle’s perimeter; from above you will have an incredible view of Lisbon. Using the camera obscura, located in the Odysseus tower and projecting 360 degrees, you will see the city in full view.
Perhaps, if we talk about what the heart of Lisbon is, then this is undoubtedly the Castle of St. George (castelo de sau Jorge). The fortress from which the history of the city began.
You will be rewarded for your ascent through the steep and narrow streets with stunning views from St. George's Castle. You can walk along the thick walls of the castle, you can see the silvery thread of the Tagus, and the ocean of tiled roofs of Lisbon.
It is difficult to say who was the first to notice such a strategic location of the hill at the mouth of the Tagus River. Some of the archaeological finds indicate that already in the 7th century BC. people lived here. The first defensive structures appeared during the Roman Empire. There is evidence that during the war between the Romans and the Lusitanians, the hill was surrounded by a protective wall.
In the 8th century, the Arabs expanded the Roman wall and erected an alcazar citadel. The castle was protected by a fortress wall, around which there was a moat. You could get inside via a bridge.
For greater protection, another 1250 m long wall is being built around the city, with six arched gates - Cerca Velha(Old wall).
Several fragments have survived to this day. One of which you can see on the patio Pátio D. Fradique in Alfama, another near the Portas do Sol viewpoint, this fragment served as the foundation for a church.
The Moorish fortification did not prevent the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, from besieging the castle in 1147. For four months the Portuguese tried to recapture the castle from the Moors. The king's army consisted of 27 thousand people, of which 13 thousand were crusaders heading to the Holy Land.
As the legend says, the crusaders captured the castle of St. George thanks to the feat of the knight Martim Moniz, who valiantly gave his life for the victory of his king. You can see the panel depicting this moment on the wall of the church, on the observation deck of Santa Luzia.
In 1255, Lisbon became the capital of Portugal, and the fortress became the royal residence of Afonso III.
At the beginning of the 14th century, King Dinis I rebuilds the ascetic Moorish fortress into a palace Alcáçova. In the Middle Ages, in 1375, by order of King Don Fernando, another belt of fortress walls was erected around the expanding Lisbon.
Construction lasted two years. The walls served to protect against attacks and robberies by the army of the Castilian king Don Enrique. And the city withstood several sieges by persistent Castilians. The 5,400-meter-long wall with 77 towers was named Cerca Fernandina or just New Wall ( Cerca Nova).
IN Late XIV century, João was the first to marry the English princess Felipe Lancaster. The same castle is given a Christian name in honor of St. George, the patron saint of knights.
In the Torre de Ulisses tower, or as it was called under Fernando III - Torre do Tombo, today there is a camera obscura where panoramas of Lisbon are projected (sessions are conducted in several languages - English, French, Spanish). And in those distant times, there was an archive where the most important royal documents were kept.
Royal weddings were held within the walls of the palace, receptions were held, and here King Manuel I honored the navigator Vashko de Gamma, who returned from a successful expedition.
From this moment on, the golden age of Portugal began. It was at this time that the legendary Jeronimos Monastery, the Belem Tower, as well as the huge Royal Palace Ribeira, where it is today Terreiro do Paço(old name - Praça do Comercio).
The royal court leaves the walls of the fortress and moves to comfortable apartments on the banks of the Tagus. Gradually, St. George's Castle is losing its importance; the earthquake of 1531, which damaged the castle, only accelerated this process.
The young, romantic King Sebastian wanted to return the castle to its former significance and even ordered restoration work. But he never returned from the battlefield, just at that time Portugal fell under the yoke of the Spaniards, who set up barracks and a prison within the walls of the castle.
The castle of St. George, which had fallen into disrepair, was not spared by the earthquake of 1755. It destroyed most of the fortress's buildings, including the fortress walls.
Those fragments that have survived have “grown into the city.” Former gate became arches in Alfama, and parts of the fortress wall served as the basis for new buildings, for example, today part of the wall Fernandina can be seen inside the commercial center Espaço Chiado.
At the end of the 18th century, a charitable organization was located in the citadel Casa Pia, which taught poor orphans. On the ruins of the fortress, local residents erect all kinds of buildings: temporary shelters, warehouses, storerooms.
On June 16, 1910, a few months before the overthrow of the monarchy in Portugal, the last king, Don Manuel II, issues a law on the classification of national treasures, one of the first of which includes the Castle of St. George.
And only in 1938, by order of Salazar, the restoration of the area began. The entire “new building” is demolished, the walls of the castle are restored, archaeological excavations begin, gardens are laid out, and monuments to the kings are erected. What we see with you today are the skillfully restored walls of a once great fortress.
In the square where you arrive after standing in line and passing through the turnstiles, there is a statue of Afonso I, the same king who recaptured the citadel from the Moors. There are cannons mounted on parapets near the walls.
In the old wing of the Royal Palace of Alcáçova is located the restaurant Casa do Leão, which means “house of the lion”. The name has historical roots, here King Afonso V kept lions brought as a trophy from Africa.
In the next wing there is an archaeological museum, where all the finds found during excavations within the castle walls are presented. To be honest, nothing interesting - shards, fragments of tiles, bones.
Peacocks, dragging their long tails and flying from branch to branch above the castle visitors, are a colorful addition to the rather empty territory of the fortress. In the very heart of the castle of St. George - the citadel, where we get through a paved bridge stretching over a moat that has long dried up.
Here you can safely climb the walls and examine the castle and the city from above, as the guards once did. In one of the walls of the citadel they preserved the very door with which the Portuguese took possession of the castle - Porta Martim Moniz.
Medieval dramatizations, archery and theatrical performances are often held on the castle grounds.
If you come to the castle in the late afternoon, be sure to stay to watch the sunset. From the castle walls it looks even more majestic.
And if it’s still far before sunset, then go wander through the tiny streets of the area Castelo, where local residents hang cages with canaries and pots of geraniums at their doors, and the murmur of a TV or noisy voices can be heard from the windows. And the neighbors talk over their balconies and complain about the onlookers who disturb their peace.
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 of 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 the oldest 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, original nature, excellent cuisine and excellent wines combined with friendliness local residents 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 present official name- Castle of St. George.
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, the rich vegetation of which, 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 captivate you and don’t want to let go, and Portugal is one of them. Local residents 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.
Castelo de São Jorge Lisbon, PortugalWalking through the streets of ancient Lisbon, it is impossible not to pay attention to the prominent hill, “crowned” by the main fortress of the Portuguese capital, visible even from the outskirts of the city. The Castle of St. George is located in such a prominent place that it inevitably attracts the attention of tourists, whose undying interest has made the “flagship” of Portuguese castles one of the most visited attractions in Lisbon.
From time immemorial, the highest of the seven hills of Lisbon was considered a strategic hill, so from ancient times it was “crowned” with fortifications that belonged to the Romans, then the Visigoths, then the Moors. The fortified “height” came under the rule of Portugal thanks to the first king of the state, who actively carried out the Reconquista. Afonso I Enriques in 1147, with the support of the crusaders, took the castle of the Moorish emir after a three-month siege. From then until the appearance of the Ribeira Palace in the 16th century, the liberated fortress served as a royal palace, and the liberator Afonso I Henriques was immortalized in the form of a statue located on the castle grounds.
The castle, whose name in Portuguese sounds like Castelo de São Jorge, in the 14th century under King João I received the name of St. George the Victorious, patron of knights and crusades. And such a renaming is considered no coincidence, associating it with the establishment of close relationships with England, whose patron saint is traditionally considered St. George.
After the more elegant Ribeira Palace was preferred to the rough fortress, the Castle of St. George was allocated for military needs, and was used as barracks, and over time it was completely reclassified as a prison, which did not have the best effect on the safety of the ancient structure. After all this, as well as after the devastating earthquake of 1755, the fortification structure needed restoration, which was carried out twice in the 20th century.
Severe rectangular towers, wide battlements, an impenetrable dry ditch - here it is, a formidable castle with a genuine military past. And hidden inside it is a real oasis - on an area of 6,000 square meters there are two parks where different types of trees coexist: pines, oaks, olive trees and many other types of vegetation. Among all this park greenery, peacocks flash with their motley plumage, and white swans slowly sway on the glittering surface of the reservoirs.
In 1910, the Castle of St. George was recognized as a National Monument of Portugal. Now, in addition to regular excursions, ceremonial events, various performances and exhibitions are held here, among which a wide collection of iconography is of particular interest.
Castle of St. George (Castelo de São Jorge, Castelo de São Jorge) is a 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 walked up to the castle from Plaza Commerce, you will have to walk uphill, but along the way you can see the Lisbon Cathedral and admire the views of the city from observation deck Santa Luzia, look at the magnificent azulejo panels decorating it, if desired, go down to Alfama and walk through the oldest district of the city, which has preserved medieval buildings.
If you don’t want to walk at all, you can drive up to the entrance to the castle by bus No. 37 or trams No. 28 and 12. Only a bus from tram stop move 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, the entrance is closed 30 minutes before 21:00. In 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 language 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 on 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, without the legendary hero, taking last stronghold the Moors were not spared. They say that the crusaders managed to break into the fortress thanks to the self-sacrifice of the knight Martim Moniz. The hero found a 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 of time, survive a 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. Nowadays, in the building that previously belonged to the royal residence, a rather expensive restaurant is open, 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 ambience 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 the great geographical discoveries, 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. A 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 Plaza 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 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 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, with 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
In general, St. George's Castle is certainly very ancient place, very significant for the Portuguese, but you need to soberly assess the nature of the exposure. 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.
