Castelo de Portel - Evora, Portugal
Posted by: 
manchanegra
N 38° 18.549 W 007° 42.172
29S E 613407 N 4240912
Portel Castle is located in the village of Portel in Alentejo, Portugal close to the Alqueva water Dam, the biggest artificial lake in Europe.
Waymark Code: WMC8K2
Location: Évora, Portugal
Date Posted: 08/08/2011
Views: 7
Portel Castle is located in the village of Portel in Alentejo, Portugal close to the Alqueva water Dam, the biggest artificial lake in Europe.
Even if the region is very rich in archeological sites, the traces of the Castle ocupation is obscure.
As far as the experts can tell, the origin of this castle is Arab.
After the Christian reocupation of the region there was some troubles between João Peres Aboim to who the region was donated and the other neighbours so the King autorized him to build a castle where it would suit him better. He choose this place and the construction started in 1261.
It was built in Gotic style presenting an heptagonal plant strengthened by circular towers in the vertices.
It seems to be inspired by the Angers Castle in France and it was a new type of construction at his time. It also has a 25 mts high square tower.
During the 1383-1385 crisis the villagers and their rullers took the party od Castela (Spain).
It was conquered by D. Nuno Alvares Pereira (O Condestável) and was granted to him after the war. Later the Castle woul pass to the House of Bragança by succession rights.
Later, circa 1510 the castle was remodeled and it was built another defense wall and a habitation house for the Duke of Bragança.
After loosing it´s defensive function the castle was abandoned and, in the XIX century it was in ruins.
At the begining of the XX century if was classified as a National Monument. even between some repairs, the castle´s degradation continued and one of the towers and part of the wall fell in the begining of the 80´s.
It´s still waiting for an investigation and museum constrution plans.
From wikipedia
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