Castle of the Moors

A strategic medieval castle built by the Moors in the 10th century

The Castle of the Moors is a strategic hilltop medieval castle built by the Moors in the 8th and 9th centuries. This walled fortress is visible high on a mountain top from the Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira. Now a ruin this castle is surrounded by woodland and boasts epic views.

Its famous walls snake across the hills with their granite blocks interlinking boulders and cliffs. Its parapet walk provides stunningly unique views out over the town, the Palace of Pena and, further in the distance, the greens of these hills contrast with the blues of the Atlantic Ocean.

The millennium-old Moorish Castle was founded under Islamic rule, and occupied a strategic position for defending both the surrounding territory and the maritime access routes to the city of Lisbon. Artefacts found on the site identify how, in between the walls and their adjoining areas, there lived a population in an area now named the Islamic Quarter.

The Moors lived here through to 1147, when Sintra was handed over to Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal. It role of defending the castle and its surrounding lands was bestowed on Gualdim Pais, a master in the Knights Templar.

With the settlement of a Christian population in the Moorish Castle, the Islamic Quarter began to disappear and give way to a Medieval town with its occupation ongoing through to the 15th century.

Sintra can get very busy with tourists and for good reason, it truly is a world class destination. But to save a lot of time you need to book your tickets before you get there and avoid unnecessary queuing.

45 minutes from Lisbon by train.

Castle of the Moors is located Here