Marvão Castle

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Portalegre > Marvão > Marvão > Centro Histórico

Location

Marvão Castle stands atop a rocky quartz ridge, situated at a considerable altitude, over 800 meters. Its dominant position over the historic walled village of Marvão, embraced by its walls, offers wide and unobstructed views.

From this elevated point, the eye surveys a vast landscape that includes the Serra de São Mamede and extends to the border with Spain. Its very location on a steep slope constituted, over the centuries, a natural defense for the fortress.

History and Strategy

The history of Marvão Castle is intimately linked to its strategic importance in border defense. Its origin dates back to earlier periods, possibly rooted in an Islamic occupation in the 9th century.

After the Christian Reconquest, the castle and village became a crucial point for the Portuguese kingdom, leading to the granting of a charter by D. Sancho II in the 13th century to promote settlement and defense. It was D. Dinis who, at the end of that century, spearheaded significant reinforcement works, including the erection of the imposing Keep Tower.

Over the following centuries, the castle was the scene of disputes and military adaptations, especially during the Restoration Wars in the 17th century, when its structures were modernized to respond to the new artillery of the era. This superposition of constructive periods shaped the complex observed today.

Defensive Elements

The castle features a complex structure, with multiple walled enclosures adapted to the terrain's topography. It is possible to explore the parapet walk (walkway on the walls), which connects towers and bastions and offers a detailed perspective of the defensive mechanisms.

Inside, prominent elements include the Keep Tower, with its elevated access and a remarkable ribbed vault in the interior room. You will also find vast courtyards, the cisterns that ensured water supply in case of siege, and strategically designed passages with bends to hinder the progression of invaders.

An Ancient Tale

A local legend shrouds the castle in an aura of mysticism. It is said that, during Moorish occupation, the inhabitants hid religious images before fleeing north. Centuries later, a shepherd was guided by a star to an image of Our Lady, who became the castle's patron saint.

Devotion to Our Lady of the Star gained strength with the account of a night when, faced with a surprise attack by enemy forces, a female voice cried out "To arms!", alerting the garrison and driving off the attackers. This symbolic tale highlights the importance of faith and vigilance in the history of the site.

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