Castle of St. George in Lisbon

The Castle of St. George is located in (Portugal) and is considered the heart of the capital, from which the history of the city began. According to archaeologists, 2 walls to protect against attack, 18 observation towers and a church were built by the Arabs in the 8th century.
At the center of this masterpiece of ancient architecture is the citadel. You can get to it via a rising bridge over the moat. In 1147, the Crusader army led by Afonso I conquered it as the Temple of the Lord. Now hundreds of pilgrims visit this place in the Holy Land. In 1255 Afonso III built the palace as the residence of the Portuguese monarchs. During its difficult history, the building experienced attacks and fires, and was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. After the earthquake of 1531, only separate rooms remained from the palace, which now house the archaeological museum. Among its exhibits are decorative elements of the ancient royal palace and household items discovered during excavations. The pavilion on the site of the library contains scraps of ancient books, military maps and government documents found by archaeologists. Appearance and interior decoration The museum will immerse visitors in the atmosphere of medieval Portugal.
In the old wing of the palace, the menagerie housed lions that King Afonso V brought from Africa as trophies from hunting. Nowadays the restaurant “” (“House of the Lion”) is open there, the interior decoration of which is stylized in the Middle Ages. The waiters' clothing also corresponds to the fashion of the time.
On the territory of the castle there are luxurious gardens laid out by royal gardeners in the 17th century. Peacocks with long beautiful tails are not at all afraid of guests and allow you to take pictures with them.
In the front park there are monuments to Afonso I and other rulers of the country, and cannons symbolize strength and power
On weekends and holidays artists stage theatrical interactive performances. Thanks to the “live” scenery and acting, viewers can feel like residents of ancient Lisbon.
Climbing onto the high fortress wall, you can see all the beauty of the capital.
How to get there?
From the center of Lisbon you can walk to the fortress or take bus 737 and trams 12, 28.
Open daily from 9.00 to 21.00
Ticket prices
For Adults - 8.50 €
For visitors over 65 years old - 5 €
Admission for children under 10 years old is free.

Show more

• Address: 1100-129 Lisboa, Portugal
• Telephone:+351 218 800 620
• Email: [email protected]
• Cost of visit: $6,17

The Castle of St. George is located right on top of the highest of the seven hills in Alfama above the old Moorish quarter. The castle is clearly visible from afar. It is famous for its panoramic views on the city and surrounding areas of the capital. You can see behind Atlantic Ocean, and on clear days and are visible in the distance.

Stories of a Portuguese castle

The oldest parts of the fortress's buildings date back to the 6th century, when it was founded by the Romans, then completed by the Visigoths, and later by the Moors. The castle served as the residence of the Moorish kings until 1147, when it was conquered by Afonso Henriques, the first king, with the active participation of British crusader knights in the Second Christian Crusade. The castle was named in honor of St. George, the patron saint of England. The palace became the residence of the kings of Portugal and served this function until the construction of the Ribeira Palace in the 16th century. One of the chambers of the palace was reserved for Vasco da Gama during his stay in Lisbon after returning from sea voyages.

After the transition of Portugal to the rule of the Crown of Spain in 1580, the fortress of St. George in Lisbon acquired a military-defensive character, which was maintained until the beginning of the 20th century. After the earthquake in 1755, many new buildings appeared on the site of the old ruins. Restoration work carried out in 1938-40 once again revealed the fortress and the remains of the old royal palace.

St. George's Castle today

The castle complex, surrounded by a citadel, consists of the castle itself, the royal palace and several other buildings, gardens and a terraced area. Main entrance to the citadel (19th century gate) leads to main square(Praça d'Armas), which is decorated with old cannons and bronze statue Afonso Henriques. The medieval Moorish castle with its 10 towers is located on the most high point hill. A wall with a tower and a connecting door bisects the castle courtyard, and stairs allow visitors to reach a walkway on the wall and towers, which offers magnificent views of Lisbon. The long fortress wall on the western part of the hill slopes down, ending at the Torre de Curaza tower.

Open to the public 7 days a week, St. George's Castle is now Lisbon's most popular tourist attraction, where you can visit:

Features of the visit

Opening hours of St. George's Castle in Lisbon.

Castelo de São Jorge Lisbon, Portugal

Walking through the streets of ancient Lisbon, it is impossible not to pay attention to the prominent hill, “crowned” by the main fortress of the Portuguese capital, visible even from the outskirts of the city. The Castle of St. George is located in such a prominent place that it inevitably attracts the attention of tourists, whose undying interest has made the “flagship” of Portuguese castles one of the most visited attractions in Lisbon.

From time immemorial, the highest of the seven hills of Lisbon was considered a strategic hill, so from ancient times it was “crowned” with fortifications that belonged to the Romans, then the Visigoths, then the Moors. The fortified “height” came under the rule of Portugal thanks to the first king of the state, who actively carried out the Reconquista. Afonso I Enriques in 1147, with the support of the crusaders, took the castle of the Moorish emir after a three-month siege. From then until the appearance of the Ribeira Palace in the 16th century, the liberated fortress served royal palace, and the liberator Afonso I Henriques was immortalized in the form of a statue located on the castle grounds.

The castle, whose name in Portuguese sounds like Castelo de São Jorge, in the 14th century under King João I received the name of St. George the Victorious, patron of knights and crusades. And such a renaming is considered no coincidence, associating it with the establishment of close relationships with England, whose patron saint is traditionally considered St. George.

After the more elegant Ribeira Palace was preferred to the rude fortress, the Castle of St. George was allocated for military needs, and was used as barracks, and over time it was completely reclassified as a prison, which is not in the best possible way affected the safety ancient building. After all this, as well as after the devastating earthquake of 1755, the fortification structure needed restoration, which was carried out twice in the 20th century.

Severe rectangular towers, wide battlements, an impenetrable dry ditch - here it is, a formidable castle with a genuine military past. And hidden inside it is a real oasis - on an area of ​​6000 square meters there are two parks where different tree species coexist: pines, oaks, olive trees and many other types of vegetation. Among all this park greenery, peacocks flash with their motley plumage, and white swans slowly sway on the glittering surface of the reservoirs.

In 1910, the Castle of St. George was recognized as a National Monument of Portugal. Now, in addition to regular excursions, ceremonial events, various performances and exhibitions are held here, among which a wide collection of iconography is of particular interest.

• Tours for May Worldwide
• Last minute tours Worldwide

The historical core of the capital of Portugal, the Lisbon Kremlin, the Castle of St. George calmly observes the life of the city through the narrow loopholes and square battlements of its thousand-year-old walls. The ancient fortress of the Romans, Visigoths and Moors came under the command of the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, in 1147 - and since then every Portuguese has revered it as the basis of statehood. Today, St. George's Castle welcomes tourists with the peace and coolness of its shady courtyard, an impressive collection of medieval cannons and breathtaking panoramic views of the red mosaic of Lisbon's tiled roofs, intercepted by the blue ribbon of the Tagus River. The educational and entertainment component here is provided by the archaeological museum, restaurant and camera obscura in one of the towers of the fortress.

A little history

Castle of St. George traces its history back to the turn of the old and new eras: first there was a fortress of the Romans, then the Visigoths, and then the Moors. In 1147, the crusaders, led by Afonso Henriques, captured the castle, expelling the Moors, and laid the foundation for the Portuguese state. Until the 16th century, the fortress was a royal residence.

What to see

You can appreciate the appearance of the castle from afar: the fortress is clearly visible from almost anywhere in the city. The battlements of its powerful walls stand out clearly against the blue Portuguese sky, and the foundation seems to have merged with the high hill above the Tagus River.

As you walk up to the entrance to the castle, you will certainly notice the massiveness and at the same time laconic symmetry of its structure with many architectural elements: a circular moat with arch bridge, two tiers of fortress walls with a gallery, 18 corner and watchtowers and a powerful barbican - the external fortification of the bastion.

The entrance to the territory of St. George's Castle lies through the main fortress gate. Pass through the massive wooden doors and you'll find yourself in a tranquil courtyard filled with lush greenery, shaded by benches and peacocks, geese and ducks roaming around. Here you will be greeted by a statue of King Afonso Henriques (this glorious statesman recaptured the castle from the Moors) and a series of medieval weapons- a reminder of the terrible days in the history of the fortress. From inner palace- There is little left of the residence of the Portuguese rulers: the stone building now houses a restaurant. Walking around it, you will see the entrance to the underground archaeological museum, in three halls of which finds on the territory of the fortress are presented from ancient times to the 18th century. A multimedia show about the history of Lisbon, Olyssiponia, is also shown here.

In one of the halls of the current archaeological museum the most famous Portuguese, Vasco da Gama, once appeared before King Manuel.

The Castle of St. George or Castelo de São Jorge is a kind of historical pinnacle of the city, because... From the walls of the castle you can see almost the whole of Lisbon. We decided to visit this attraction and, in principle, did not regret it.
In the previous post, when I told, a map of our walks was added just to St. George’s Castle, so in this article I will not insert a “how to get” map.
There is an entrance fee to the castle. Adult ticket costs 7 euros. Students under 25 years old - 4 euros. The idea of ​​cheating a little crept in, and then it even became slightly uncomfortable. We are no longer students (I haven’t been a student for 7 years now :-)), but we thought, why not try. There was a hint about tickets for students. We thought that Vika could easily be mistaken for a student, because... At that time, she had only graduated from university a year ago. We were asked to show the student one. Naturally, we don’t have it, well, we hesitated, said that we had forgotten and, in principle, were ready to pay the full price of the ticket, as they say, no, no. But the boy who sold tickets turned out to be very friendly and let us in two tickets for 4 euros. 🙂
On the one hand, I was glad that at the age of 28 I was mistaken for a student, but on the other hand, I felt a little uncomfortable that the situation played out like this. Well, okay...”let’s consider these 7 euros a gift to us from Lisbon, he won’t be poorer because of this,” I thought, and we set off to conquer the castle of St. George.

courtyard near St. George's Castle

The castle itself is a brutal fortress, of which only the walls and some internal buildings are well preserved. The castle walls offer stunning views of Lisbon. This fortress alone is worth visiting.

View of Lisbon from the castle walls

There are very few tourists on the castle grounds, you can calmly walk... take pictures...

Sunny Lisbon

You go for a walk, and then suddenly, peacocks and peacocks are strutting around :)

In general, the castle grounds are full of benches where you can sit in the shade... take a break... enjoy the singing of birds. But I had no time for singing then...

Imperial Lisbon

I’ll go into a little more detail on this shot. Probably many people often have problems when they need to shoot against the sun, as you can see, there was no other way to take a picture here, but in the end I think it turned out to be a pretty good shot. To avoid strong color bloom, I recommend firstly using a wide-angle lens (18 mm or smaller) and setting the aperture to the maximum value (F20-22). Then the sun will turn from blurry into this radiant one and the frame itself will be overexposed, but still not so much. 🙂
In addition to the walls themselves, part of the interior of the fortress has also been preserved...

castle courtyard interior

In my opinion, the castle of St. George is somewhat reminiscent of the Tsarevets fortress in ancient capital Bulgaria Veliko Tarnovo. Anyone who has been will understand...

Castle labyrinths :)

It’s great that the observation deck at St. George’s Castle is, if not 360 degrees, then 270, that’s for sure! In the opposite direction, from the walls of the castle there is an equally beautiful view of the monastery of San Vicente de Fora (Paróquia de São Vicente de Fora).

view of the monastery of San Vicente de Fora from the castle walls

In short, you understand... I was stuck here... 🙂 the camera shutter only had time to fire after I pressed the start button, some paparazzi did not waste their time...

Near the exit from St. George's Castle

In general, we probably shot more than 100 frames between the two of us...if it were up to me, I would post everything :) but it’s better that you come to Lisbon yourself and walk through the Castle of St. George to feel the majestic and beautiful Lisbon under your feet!

The article turned out to be more of a mini photo review, but I hope from it you can get an idea about the castle of St. George. I myself would recommend this attraction for visiting. We really enjoyed climbing the castle walls, and the views from them, I think, will not leave anyone indifferent!