Step through a door to another time – a time of Muslim Rulers and Catholic Kings – of Fires, Earthquakes and Restoration. 
B.H. and I are outdoors people, so when we decided to choose just one attraction to visit in Sintra, the choice was easy. Castelo Mouros was a Military Fort from the 8th Century during the Arab occupation. The site was an excellent observation post, with views over the Rio Tejo delta and plains to the coast. While we were not on the lookout for enemy forces, we were interested in the panoramic views.
Click on the photos for a better image.
The Views
Sintra below and the coast in the distance.
The Royal Palace of Sintra peeking through the battlements.
The Colourful Palace of Pena, taken from the Castelo walls.
View to ocean through the trees of the Castelo.
In the forest below, the Grey towered building set back on right is Quinta da Regaleira; the Grey roofed building in the left foreground is Chalet Biester.
The Battlements
It was easy to indulge in romantic fantasies as we walked the Battlements. At first it was my own Great Wall of China fantasy, and then I wished myself back to a time when our children were young – when they would have delighted in real “Castle and Knights” games, previously played with plastic castles and figurines. It was that kind of place.
The views were by far the best of any castle we had been to, and the walls seemed to go endlessly onwards and upwards.
Battlements and Sky
Archaeological Excavations within the walls.
The Timeline
- 8th Century – Built by Moorish invaders from North Africa.
- 1093 – King Alfonso VI of Castile captured the castle
- 1094 – The Moors took it back and improved fortifications
- 1147 – Captured by Afonso Henrique’s Crusades but went into a decline. Jewish Settlers lived there.
- 15th Century – Abandoned when Jews were driven from Portugal
- 1636 – Damaged by fire started by a bolt of lightning
- 1755 – Damaged by Earthquake
- 1830/40 – King Ferdinand II consolidated the walls and chapel, re-forrested and created nooks
- 1910 – Classified a National Monument
- 1939 – Some sections of walls repaired
- 1979 – Archaeological excavations in the Chapel discovering medieval funerary tombs
- 1986 – Further cleaning and restoration works
- 1995 – World Cultural Heritage UNESCO listing
Things to Know:
7 Euro Entry; An interesting 400 metre gradual uphill walk from Ticket Office/Amenities to the Castle entrance.
Previous Posts on this Subject: THE JEWEL IN PORTUGALS CROWN IS…SINTRA and OLD SINTRA TOWN,
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Tuesday in Townsville – Lest We Forget – 25th April
Your shots are stunning! I really like the “gradual uphill walk”. When I was looking at all those steps my knees started crying…:)
I know what you mean about those steps Nancie 🙁
What a great trip and beautiful photos. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
What beautiful views of the city and you’ve done a phenomenal job capturing them. I love the one with the place on the top of the hillside. It seems you really enjoyed yourself there.
Thanks Leigh, we did enjoy it!
What some incredible views, well worth the walk I should think. And that timeline, wow, it really puts things into perspective and makes me feel quite miniscule 😉
I think I needed that timeline myself to make sense of it all 🙂
Great photos 🙂
Thanks Muza-chan 🙂
Too often photos pf Sintra are focused on the Colourful Palace of Pena. I have been enjoying all these other sights. These views are stunning. Any kid would absolutely love walking along those walls. It is the Portuguese version of the great wall 🙂
Glad you like the Castelo Mouros.:)
Hi Nancie,
Woww,,,,those views and the walls are breathtaking. It’s like being in fairytale. I’d like to be there! What a perfect choice for an outdoor attraction. Really stunning photos.
Thanks Marisol, It was a beautiful day and we were happy with our choice 🙂
Love the unusual take on Sintra here.
Glad you enjoyed it Sophie:)
Sintra!? *Jaw drops* I… I can’t even find suitable words to describe how absolutely gorgeous this place is. Just wow…
I keep hearing about gorgeous gorgeous sites within Portugal: first Porto, now this place. I’ll have to go there next time I’m in Europe!
– Maria Alexandra
I so want to see Porto. We only had five days so we based ourselves in Lisbon (love) and did day trips to Sintra and Cascais (on the coast). We intend to do another trip across the north of Spain and maybe I can sneak down to Porto then 🙂
The views are spectacular and the battlements so well preserved – my younger daughter would be thrilled to visit and imagine herself a medieval princess!
That’s a great opening sentence. I can see why you love this place. It’s exactly what one expects from a castle! That’s a wonderful view from up there, too. Was Sintra this big when the castle was first built? I wonder what the view was like back then.
I do not think Sintra today would bear any resemblance to the 8th Century Sintra. What the view would have been like is an interesting thought. I think more trees and cooking fires 🙂
Absolutely lovely. And here we are in Scotland, must remember to take the kids to a castle!!
Yep, there should be one or two castles around there somewhere 🙂
What an enchanting place to visit! I can see why it was chosen as a fort Iocation, it offers a pretty incredible vantage point. What a view!
One of the best views ever 🙂
Such incredible views. Wow. 🙂 And what gorgeous weather for exploring!!
The view from the Castle is incredible. I love visiting Places where History is part of the Building and part of the landscape. Its a great way to imagine what used to be, and to see in the eyes of people before us. The views are stunning – and the walk would be ideal for travelers.
Your boys would absolutely love the castle walls Lisa. If you went you would have to take a picnic because they would not want to leave.