Portugal |

I like castles there is no doubt about it. From fairytale chateaux to austere fortifications; ones with drawbridges, dungeons, gatehouses, keeps and moats; built in stone, brick and even sand, I’m not fussy.

I am, if you like, a bit of a castle fan.

It is perhaps because I was born and bred in a castle – Barnard Castle, an 11^th century Norman fortification sited on a promontory overlooking the River Tees in the North East of England.

Admittedly I was born in the town bearing the same name and not the castle itself thought I did spend an inordinate amount of my childhood scaling the battlements; exploring dungeons and helping my sister look after our pony, Bob whose paddock and stables were inside the grounds of the castle. In fact I spent so much time in the castle, now a Grade 1 listed building, it was almost a home from drafty home.

Before moving to Portugal my partner and I visited a huge number of castles and chateaux across Europe and Northern Africa in our two-year, time out, motor homing tour.

In France, due to my poor navigation, we had to manoeuvre a very wide motor home through a not very wide medieval castle gateway and later fell in love with the stunning chateau at Samur.

In the Czech Republic we tried to visit as many as we could, but only managed 30 of their reported 2,000. In Poland we went on a Teutonic Knight pilgrimage and ended up at Marlbork, an amazing and enormous brick construction, the largest of its kind in the world.

We will, we’ve been told, be allowed back if we don’t detach ourselves from the organised group and explore areas of the castle not officially open to the public such as the staff tea room as we did last time.

So as a castle fan you can imagine my glee upon moving to Portugal to find there were lots of Castelos to discover and explore. In fact only a few kilometres from our then home there were more castles than I could count on both hands.

Portugal has an amazing number of castles up and down the country, more than I could hope to mention here. So I’ve listed my favourite castles in Portugal and they are not only worthy of a visit, they are a must if you’re in the central and Northern regions of the country.

Castelo do Almourol – this fairytale structure, based on Roman foundations, but rebuilt by the Knights Templar in the 12^th century, is strategically situated on an island in the River Tagus (Rio Tejo) only a short drive from the equally historic town of Tomar in central Portugal.

Accessible only by a small, but colourful ‘taxi’ boat, this castle makes for an interesting day out. Watch out for the Templar inscription above the entrance arch, I think it’s in Latin, but not quite sure.

The castle, made a national monument in 1910, has not been officially resided in for some time. However I found out to my detriment it is still fiercely defended by a swarm of wasps on the second floor of the keep.

Castelo Templário – constructed by the Knights Templar in the 12^th century this stunning masterpiece is a tour de force of the stonemasons’ art situated in Tomar, central Portugal. The Castelo Templário was the warrior monks’ European headquarters for many year and is in fact the only castle the Knights Templar completely constructed in Portugal, so a must see for anyone interested in Templar history and architecture.

Castelo Templario, Tomar, Portugal The castle complex consists of a number of buildings, including the UNESCO listed Convento do Cristo, the round church believed to have been modelled on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.

The castle has continually evolved over the centuries to create a visual timeline of architectural styles and a delight for anyone with an interest in photography.

My advice if you visit is to do so on a Sunday when admittance is free and remember to take your camera battery. I’ve been to the Castelo many times with my partner who loves photography, but has a mind like a sieve.

On each and every occasion we visited the Castelo he has managed to leave the battery to his, large, all singing, all dancing camera at home and ends up using my not so singing and not so dancing compact, then delights in telling me how bad mine is!

Óbidos Castle – a superb example of a walled fortress, just inland from the Silver Coast (Costa da Prata), around an hour north of the capital, Lisbon. The medieval fortress surrounds a particularly quaint town with rather a lot of tourist, though tasteful, outlets inside its walls.

The Castelo de Óbidos was built on the remains of a much earlier Roman fortification. And in fact the name Óbidos it is believed derives from the Latin oppidum for fortified city.

You can, if your nerve and head for heights allows, scale the castellated battlements. However, if like me you have developed a fear of heights it’s best to stay where you don’t need a guardrail to continue to walk.

I and the countless other visitors now know it’s not easy to pass someone who refuses to move from the two foot stone platform they’ve wedged themselves into, secured by nothing more than fingernails for over an hour as they are fearful they’ll fall onto pointy rock formations below as there is no handrail.

(As I a child had had no fear of heights or of falling, but as an adult I do. It is perhaps too many bones broken, dislocation of joints, sprains and other such things in climbing related incidents, which have made me so fearful.

However it does curtail a jaunt around battlements these days as my fear only clicks in once I am mid climb up a set of unprotected stairs. Though I do provide my partner with some excellent ‘retreating’ shots as I scurry (sorry way too quick of an adjective, slowly flump), step by step with as much surface area of buttocks on stone.)

Although visiting the Castelo de Óbidos is fun at all times of the year if you truly want to get a feel of what life would be like in the 12^th century, mark July /August in your diary as this is when the town hosts its’ annual Mediaeval Fair (19th July – 12th August 2012).

Heraldic flags are hoisted and costumes are donned for a two-week long spectacular where knights joust, jester juggle, minstrels serenade and merchants will attempt to sell you any number of mediaeval souvenirs. Pigs are roasted on the spit and rustic taverns serve wine from tankards not glasses.

It’s an amazing event and enjoyable for young and old. And if you don some 12^th century attire there is every chance you’ll get in for free. (for more information on the Mercado Medieval visit www.cm-obidos.pt)

Guimarães Castle – is in Northern Portugal and possibly the most Portuguese of all Portuguese castles. Constructed in massive grey granite blocks, atop equally large grey granite boulders the castle domineers the small city’s skyline and the nation’s birth.

It was at Guimarães Castle the Portugal, we all know and love, was born, though the austere looking fortress was around over a century and a half before this date.

Built it is said, by Dona Mumadona Dias, to defend Christians from Moorish and Norman attacks. However the original castle was torn down and a new one erected by the Count of Portugal and when in 1147 on the creation of the Kingdom of Portugal it became the official residence of the royal family.

Guimarães Castle is a definite must see if you want to get a feel for where Portugal was born and given Guimarães is the European Capital of Culture for 2012, taking a trip there this year will ensure there will be plenty of other things to keep you entertained.

However, again if you are fearful of heights and the pain inflicted in a fall off one, don’t scramble up the granite steps to the walkway, which can be ever so slightly slippy when damp. I only managed five steps before I scuttled back down on my bum but the view was magnificent even at this lowly height.

As K is not an original letter of the Portuguese alphabet, but one adopted into it in following the Portuguese Language Orthographic Agreement of 1990, it was a bit of a quandary what to write. After all how do you write about a subject significant to the country when there are no native words beginning with the letter?

However it didn’t take long to figure out what to write about. It’s a subject I love, the Knights Templar and they are as significant as you could get when it comes to Ks in Portugal.

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, or Knights Templar as they are more commonly known, are shrouded in mystery. Myths, legends and exaggerated stories have been passed down the centuries which have only enhanced their appeal.

More recently books, films and television programmes have tried to uncover some of the deeper mysteries surrounding the Order, though separating fact from fiction can sometimes be difficult.

One fact, which has never been disputed, is the role they played in the history of Portugal (and vice versa).

So, who were the Knights Templar?

The Knights Templar were founded in 1118, after the First Crusade, with the primary objective of providing safe passage to pilgrims going to and from the Holy Land in Jerusalem.

Led by French nobleman Hugues de Payen the founding nine knights swore an oath of poverty, which is clearly identifiable in their official seal (right) showing two knights sharing one stead.

The Knights Templar adopted a code of behaviour, loosely based on those of the Cistercian monks, later termed the Latin Rule and relied solely upon the donations of others to survive. Although the Knights Templar received the blessing of the King of Jerusalem, Baldwin, almost immediately, it took a further 11 years for papal recognition from the Catholic Church thanks mainly to whisperings made by their patron, Bernard de Clairvaux, a powerful cleric and nephew of one of the founding members.

Following recognition from the church donations became to flood into the order, which grew in size by the day. At it’s peak the order boasted around 50,000 members, though only 10,000 of who were actual Knights. The rest were serfs, and other lowly people in the employ of squires and often forgotten about.

The warrior monks’ became a powerful order in a short period of time, accruing lands and wealth through donations. At their height they commanded their own fleet of ships and had churches, monasteries and castles built along the route to Jerusalem.

In addition to this the Templars are credited with introducing a crude but effective cheque system. To ensure the pilgrims they protected were not robbed en-route to Jerusalem, the Templars issued letters of credit. Pilgrims deposited their valuables with the Templars preceptory and on arrival in the Holy Land the money was retrieved.

Why was Portugal so important to the Knights Templar?

Portugal was the first European country where the Knights Templar set up headquarters outside of the Holy Land. In 1128, long before the Kingdom of Portugal was founded, the Templars settled on land they’d be given at Soure, near Coimbra in central Portugal. But Templars will be forever held in high esteem in Portugal thanks to their assistance in the Reconquest of the country from the Moors, which led to the Kingdom of Portugal, as we know it.

Alongside the future king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, the warrior monks fought long, hard, bloody battles to drive the Moors from what had been known by the Romans as Portucale.

Castelo Templario, Tomar, Portugal

Their reward was a ruined castle at Tomar on the banks of the River Nabão with land stretching as far as the River Mondego. In 1160 Gualdim de Pais, the then master of the Templars, ordered the construction of a new castle and church on this site.

The Castelo Templário and Convento Cristo, edifices which, over 850 years later, still inspire and dominate the town.

Convento do Cristo, Tomar, Portugal

Although the Knights Templar resided in castles in other areas of Portugal, namely Pombal, Castelo Branco, Almourol, Monsanto and Idanha Velha, Tomar became the headquarters.

It’s position ideal to fend off attacks, fertile land all around and on a direct trade route. The round church they built, which it’s believed to be modelled on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, was adorned with gold leaf.

Tomar was dear to the Templars, this much we know. It was the only castle they constructed from scratch in Portugal and the church across the Nabao, Santa Maria dos Olivias, remains of actual Templars.

Igreja Santa Maria dos Oliviais, Tomar, Portugal

Seven members of the order are buried in the church and although Gualdim de Pais, whose statue adorns the pedestrianised Praca de Republica in Tomar, was also buried there, local legend states his remains were moved to a secret location to foil bounty hunters.

However after only 150 years of settling in Portugal religious politics came into play. The then Pope, Clement V, possibly scared of the Templars power and influence, disbanded the monks in a flurry of accusations of heresy and other such stuff. All Templar assets had to be surrendered to the Catholic Church, all knights denounced and handed over to inquisitors with immediate effect.

While other countries across Europe acquiesced, scared of any heretical backlash, the Portuguese King, Dinis, delayed and pondered the situation. The Knights Templar were powerful allies with vast tracts of land and unrivalled wealth in his own kingdom. So he blocked all access from the inquisitors to the Templars and announced their lands were state owned.

Meanwhile Dinis jockeyed for a new holy order be created, the Order of Christ, then gifted all the former Templar lands to them. It is believed all remaining Templars within Portugal transferred to the order, where they remained for many years to come, adding further lands and castles to their wealth.

Gualdim de Pais, grand master of the Knights Templar in Portugal

The Order of Christ went on to help build the Portuguese nation’s fortunes under the leadership of the grand master Prince Henry the Navigator.

And the rest they say is history, Portuguese history.

Tag Archives: Portugal

C is for Castles in Portugal

K is for Knights Templar