Alter Pedroso Castle

Category: Military Architecture > Castle

District: Portalegre > Alter do Chão > Alter do Chão > Alter Pedroso

Location

Alter Pedroso Castle is located in the area of the village of the same name, in the municipality of Alter do Chão. It stands atop an isolated hill of considerable altitude, prominently featured in the landscape.

Traditional access to the fortification is via a trail or narrow path that starts from the village of Alter Pedroso, ascending to the site of the ruins. This elevated position offers wide views over the fields and the surrounding area.

Medieval Roots

The history of this castle dates back to the 13th century. The original structure was granted by King Afonso III to the knights of the Order of Avis, serving an early strategic function in the defense of the Alentejo territory. It operated as an essential control and observation point.

The castle underwent reconstruction during the reign of King Dinis, which demonstrates its importance throughout the medieval period as an integral part of the region's defensive line, cooperating with other nearby fortifications.

Remains of the Fortification

After being razed in 1662, during the War of Restoration, little remains of Alter Pedroso Castle's original grandeur. What is observed today are mainly ruins and fragments of the ancient military construction.

It is still possible to identify some sections of the walls, parts of a small turret (cubelo), and the entrance gate with a Gothic-style arch. Inside what would have been the enclosure, there are also the remains of the Chapel of São Bento and vestiges indicating an occupation extending through different historical periods, including the Iron Age and the Roman period.

Historical Panorama

The elevation of the site where the castle once stood is one of its most remarkable attributes for visitors. It even became popularly known as the "Castle of Recreation", a name suggesting the pleasure of contemplating the vast landscape and the various fortified villages visible from there.

Currently, a geodesic mark denotes the highest point of the elevation, and the surrounding area continues to offer an open panorama over the Alentejo, inviting observation of the territory the castle once helped to guard.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt