Castle of St. George
On a high hill in the historical center of Lisbon is the ancient castle of St. George. In ancient times, the fortress was well fortified and served as a defense for the Romans, Visigoths and Moors.
The castle was named after St. George, the patron saint of England. In 1386, the Portuguese king Juan I married Philippe of Lancaster, thereby concluding a long Anglo-Portuguese union, which lasted until the 20th century. This alliance was concluded as a counterweight to Spain, which increased its influence.
The castle is visible from almost any part of Lisbon. It was built back in the 6th century of the Vestgot, later the Moors were rebuilt, and in 1147 the king of Portugal, Afonso Enriquez, captured the fortress. Since then, the castle has become a royal residence and stayed until the 16th century until the residence was transferred to the Ribeira Palace. After that, a prison was set up from the castle, then a theater and finally an arsenal. Over time, the castle fell into decay, and the 1755 earthquake destroyed St. George's Castle and the Ribeira Palace. Only in 1938 the castle was restored, a cozy park was arranged nearby and monuments were erected to Portuguese kings.
The castle was rebuilt in the Romanesque and Gothic style, surrounding it with a rampage with a wide moat. You can enter the fortress only through the bridge. The walls are crowned with teeth, 10 single-tier and bunk towers are built around the perimeter. There is also the tower of St. Lawrence, located outside the walls of the fortress, it helped to defend the Moors during the siege.
Visitors to the castle can climb its towers, take a walk along the walls, look in the park at ducks, peacocks, geese, relax at the cypresses. From the observation deck there are beautiful views of the ocean, the old quarters of the city, the embankment of the Teju River. Every day, a multimedia exhibition is organized in St. George’s Castle, projecting scenes from the historical events of the city and the castle onto the walls of the castle.
