the highest hill in lisbon, occupied for two thousand years
At the top of the highest hill in the historic centre, looking out over the baixa and the Tagus estuary, the castle is the point where the history of Lisboa literally begins. The first walls date from the 2nd century BC, and the site was successively occupied by different peoples over more than two thousand years. The Muslim fortification between the 8th and 12th centuries gave the structure that remained essentially in place through the Middle Ages, and it was this castle that Afonso Henriques entered in 1147.
The current name comes from the 14th century, when D. João I dedicated the castle to São Jorge, patron saint of knights. It served as a royal palace for centuries, before the court moved to the Paço da Ribeira in the lower city. It's been classified as a National Monument since 1910. What you see today is largely the result of a 20th-century reconstruction campaign, which rebuilt the walls and towers from the ruined state they were in. So the medieval appearance of the complex isn't continuous preservation from the Middle Ages, but last century's reconstruction over the historic footprint.
Inside there are three areas to explore: the alcáçova, with towers and walkable battlements and the panoramic view over Lisboa; the archaeological nucleus, with authentic remains from the Iron Age through the Muslim occupation; and what remains of the royal palace. The Torre de Ulisses has a camera obscura that projects a live 360-degree image of the city. The gardens have peacocks roaming freely. Two to three hours cover the whole thing comfortably.
The view is the main reason many people make the climb, and it's among the best in Lisboa: the Pombaline baixa at your feet, the Tagus to the south, and rooftops as far as you can see.
the whole scene
- hill occupied for over two thousand years, first walls from the 2nd century BC
- complex rebuilt in the 1940s over the historic footprint
- authentic archaeological nucleus, with remains from the Iron Age to the Muslim period
- panoramic view over the baixa of Lisboa, the Tagus and the estuary
- camera obscura in the Torre de Ulisses, peacocks in the gardens
