Marvão Castle

The Marvão Castle is located on the highest peak of the lovely São Mamede Mountain, in the heart of the Natural Park.
The territory occupancy may date back to pre-history, and was also probably inhabited by Romans, as in the proximity there is a roman road that crosses Sever river.

The first Portuguese king, D. Afonso Henriques, would have conquered this fortification to the Moors, around the year 1166, on the sequence of the campaign that started with the conquest of Alcácer do Sal. The most ancient date that confirms the Portuguese presence in this Castle is 1214.

In 1271 the Castle was donated to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and already in the reign of king D. Dinis (1279 to 1325) was increased and was built the Donjon tower. Also king D. João I, after the 1385 crisis, ordered the reinforcement of the Castle’s defences and implements the region’s populating.

New conservation works took place after the restoration of the Portuguese Independence in 1640, for the artillery adaptation, and even before the end of the works, the Castle was attacked by the Spanish forces that also attacked again in 1704 and 1772.
Already in the 19th century, during the French Invasions, this Castle got to be occupied by the French troops.

Classified as a National Monument, it is now in a good state of conservation.
This Castle is a fortress town, as the settlement is surrounded by the first line of defensive walls.
Here is also located the armoury archaeological Museum.