Tavira Castle

The Region of Tavira, according to archaeological researches has had human occupation since the prehistory, existing vestiges of several occupancies, such as a Phoenician wall from the 8th century BC.

The Tavira Castle was conquered from the Muslims around the year 1240, and several reconstruction and conservation works have been done since then.

Tavira Castle is classified as a National Monument and what still remains of the medieval structure of the Castle allows the visitor to understand the different construction phases of this military Monument.

It is said that this Castle is enchanted by a Moorish Princess that once a year (in Saint John’s night) appears in the castle, crying, due to an enchantment her father threw on her. A knight (D. Ramiro) once sighted the Princess and immediately felt in love with her. Desperately in love the knight decided to scale the walls of the castle for the disenchant of the Princess. However the task revealed itself difficult, and the rider was not able to climb the walls on time, unable to break the charm. The frustration of the rider was so much, that he determined himself to fight the Moors with all his strength, and even got to conquer a Castle, but with no Moorish Princess for him to love.