Construído pelos mouros no século VIII ou IX D.C., este Castelo está implantado em dois cumes da Serra, de onde se disfruta generoso panorama. Circundado de muralhas e diversas torres, sofreu diversas reparações por volta de 1860, quando D. Fernando II o restaurou conferindo às velhas ruínas medievais uma outra dignidade.

Built by the Moorish in VIII or IX D.C., This Castle is entrenched in two peaks of the mountain, from where a great view can be enjoyed. Surrounded by walls and towers, it was restored around 1860 by D. Fernando II, who gave the crumbling ruins another dignity.

Castelo dos Mouros - Sintra visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Castelo dos Mouros' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Distrito Lisboa.

Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors) overlooks the small town of Sintra from the Serra de Sintra mountains in Portugal. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this 9th century Moorish castle is one of the most important tourist attractions in the region.

Castelo dos Mouros was built by the Moors to protect routes linking Sintra, Mafra, Cascais and Lisbon. It reverted to Portuguese rule after the conquest of Lisbon in 1147 by King Afonso Henriques. By the end of the 16th century the castle had been abandoned, and was further damaged by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. In the 19th century King Ferdinand II undertook serious restoration works.

The castle is now open to the public as a fee paying attraction within the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais (Sintra-Cascais Natural Park). Visitors will find the walls and 5 towers mostly restored. Within the area are the remains of the 12th century Romanesque Church of Saint Peter, (Igreja de São Pedro), next to which is a massive Moorish cistern, which measures 18m long, 6m wide and 9m high.

From the top of the towers of the Moorish castle are stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area which, on a clear day, stretch to the Atlantic Ocean some 12km away to the west.

Castelo dos Mouros
Estrada da Pena, Sintra
Sintra
Portugal
Phone: 21 923 73 00
www.parquesdesintra.pt

Flight: Lisbon International Airport (LIS).
Road: Sintra IC 19 is about 31km from Lisbon.
Train: Lisboa, Rossio Station - Sintra Station, Queluz, Rio de Mouro, Mercês Stations.