Amieira do Tejo Castle

Category: Military Architecture > Castle

District: Portalegre > Nisa > Amieira do Tejo

Location:

The Castle of Amieira do Tejo rises in the peaceful village of Amieira do Tejo, which belongs to the municipality of Nisa, in the vast Alentejo region. Its position, in the center of the locality, offers an interesting perspective on the urban surroundings and its development over the centuries. The castle stands on predominantly flat ground, with a gentle slope to the west, making it a visible landmark in the village's fabric.

Witness to History:

This remarkable medieval building is intimately linked to the Order of the Hospitallers. The Order, which received these lands by donation from D. Sancho II in 1232, integrated Amieira into a strategic line of defense along the south bank of the Tagus River. The construction of the castle, however, only materialized about a century later, during the reign of D. Afonso IV. Its construction is attributed to D. Frei Álvaro Gonçalves Pereira, father of the renowned Constable D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, having been completed around 1362.

Classified as a National Monument since 1922, the castle adapted to various functions over the centuries. Curiously, in the 19th century, its parade ground was used as a cemetery by the village population, a practice that lasted until the mid-20th century. The Castle of Amieira do Tejo underwent significant consolidation and restoration works in the 1940s, which contributed to its current good state of conservation and the possibility of appreciating it in its original form.

Architecture and Unique Details:

The Castle of Amieira do Tejo is recognized as an exemplary model of Portuguese Gothic military architecture. It features a rectangular plan, with robust walls, punctuated by merlons. At its four corners, solid towers rise, complementing the imposing Keep. The latter, larger in size and with a quadrangular plan, defends the main entrance, and its openings include twin windows and ogival arches, testifying to its age.

In addition to the main enclosure, the complex included a moat (now filled in) and a quadrangular barbican, also crenellated, which reinforced the defenses. Adjoining one of the outer towers is the Chapel of São João Batista, built in the 16th century. Inside, it is possible to observe a coffered vault decorated with artistic elements and a late-Renaissance altarpiece.

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