Category: Military Architecture > Castle
District: Portalegre > Elvas > Santa Eulália
The Fontalva Castle is located on Monte Velho de Fontalva, near the parish of Santa Eulália, in the municipality of Elvas, district of Portalegre, Alentejo.
Since 1977, the castle has been considered a Property of Public Interest, due to its historical and heritage importance.
Although little is known about its foundation, there are indications that the castle was built on an ancient pre-Roman settlement, which was later occupied by Romans and Muslims.
The currently visible structure dates back to the late 15th or early 16th century, during the reign of King John III. It was transformed into a residence with manor house characteristics, maintaining its fortification function.
In the 19th or early 20th century, several buildings attached to the castle were demolished, both internally and externally. In the 20th century, interventions were carried out to adapt the space for tourism purposes, with the construction of a dining room and the modernization of some infrastructures.
The castle has an irregular pentagonal plan, with five towers at the vertices and two more protecting the main gate, located on the eastern wall. This gate has a semicircular arch, decorated with the coat of arms of the Silva family. The wall has a wall-walk (chemin de ronde), and both the wall and the towers are crenellated.
There is a secondary gate, known as the Traitors' Gate, located on the southwest wall.
Located at 337 meters above sea level, the castle offers stunning views over the surrounding landscape, making it an ideal spot to appreciate the natural scenery of the Alentejo.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelo_de_Fontalva
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.98683938849056,-7.297666654789192
Coordinates DMS: 38°59'12.6"N 07°17'51.6"W
Weather Santa Eulália
On-duty Pharmacy Santa Eulália
