April 20, 2019:
Today we had breakfast at our Pousada in Estremoz, checked out, and then drove to Castelo de Vide and Marvão, Portugal for self-guided walking tours. Following these tours, we drove to the countryside outside Castelo de Vide for our accommodation, topping off the day participating in Easter Vigils in Castelo de Vide.
More views of our Estremoz Pousada
Buffet breakfast in our Pousada
Castelo de Vide:
Overview
The small town of Castelo de Vide is one of the gems of the Alto Alentejo (High Alentejo) region – Here a jumble of red roofed, whitewashed houses clings to the side of the lush slopes of the foothills of the Serra de São Mamede.
View of the town of Castelo de Vide from its Castle – Photo: Booking.com
Castelo de Vide – Flickr – Teresa Lopes
The old quarter has been described as one of the best preserved medieval towns in Portugal and it sometimes feels like life may not have changed much here since those days – What the town might lack in grand monuments it more than makes up for in ambience and charm.
Castelo de Vide is a place to spend a day exploring the flower-lined cobbled lanes which wind up to the castle.
Flowers are everywhere – Photo: TripAdvisor
Cute cobblestone streets – Photo: Pinterest
Peaceful alcoves – Photo: 2suitcasesfor2years.com
Besides the flowered lanes, it’s the views over the Serra de São Mamede; the steep lanes; the squares with their many bars and cafés; the small shops selling local produce (Alentejo is famous for its cheeses and wines); the beautiful parks; and the many restaurants serving up traditional dishes such as porco preto (black pork).
Bring your walking shoes – Photo: 2suitcasesfor2years.com
Beautiful parks – Photo: 2suitcasesfor2years.com
Cafés and restaurants – Photo: TripAdvisor
History of Castelo de Vide
Ancient Megaliths:
The history of this area goes back thousands of years and the surrounding countryside is dotted with a wealth of ancient megalithic sites – A number of dolmens, menhirs and cromlechs dating back to the late Bronze Age can be found close by, most notable of which are the Anta dos Coureleiros and the Menir da Meada.
Anta dos Coureleiros contains the remains of four burial chambers in various states of repair – Together these form the Parque Megalítico dos Coureleiros (Coureleiros Megalithic Park).
Coureleiros Megalithic Park – Photo: TravelInPortugal
The Menir da Meada is a single standing stone which at 7.15 metres tall is the largest in the whole Iberian Peninsula.
Menir da Meada – Wikimedia – Roundtheworld
Other nearby monuments include the Anta do Pombal, Anta da Melriça and the Anta do Curral do Galhordas
Anta do Pombal – Photo: celtiberia.net
Anta da Melriça – Photo: TripAdvisor
Anta do Curral do Galhordas – Photo: castelodevideportugal.blogspot.com
Roman Times:
Some of Castelo de Vide’s earliest inhabitants were the Romans who settled here in 44 BC – The nearby Roman settlement of Miróbrigahas been the source of many archaeological finds – The Romans saw the town’s strategic potential as an important point on the road from Merida in Spain to the Atlantic coast in Portugal.
Vandals, Moors and Portuguese:
After the Romans came the Vandals, and as if to live up to their name they destroyed the town – By the 7th century, like much of southern Portugal, the Moors had conquered Castelo de Vide.
The Moors held the town until 1148 when it was taken by the forces of Gonçalo Mousinho with the town receiving a Royal Charter in 1180 – In those days ‘Vide’, as it was known, was responsible for organizing its own defenses and in return its young men were not required to serve the crown as soldiers.
‘Vide’ [Old Portuguese: “that which twines or bends, branch, switches”] only became Castelo de Vide in 1310 when, under the order of King Dom Denis, a new castle was built – It was here that the king negotiated to marry his queen, Isabel (Elizabeth) of Aragon.
This is the castle we see today, standing guard over the town below and border with Spain beyond – It is well worth climbing the spiral stairs to the top of the castle tower for the view of the surrounding countryside – In addition to the castle there are defensive walls that encompass the oldest parts of the town, preserving all of its medieval character.
Castle stands guard over the town below – Photo: quintavelhadoperoboi.com
Jewish Community:
Towards the end of the 15th century Castelo de Vide had attracted a significant Jewish community – They fled here as the result of persecution by the Catholic Church’s Inquisition in Spain and settled in a part of the town now known as the Judiaria or Jewish Quarter – Whilst Portugal was somewhat more tolerant the area in which Jews could live was restricted and many were pressured into converting to Christianity.
This area occupies the winding cobbled streets that run down from the castle – Here you will find whitewashed cottages with distinctive granite, gothic doorways and overflowing flower baskets.
Jewish Quarter – Photo: www.mapaymochila.es
At the heart of the Jewish Quarter is a small square in which sits the Fonte da Vila (town fountain) – This 16th century Renaissance fountain is made of marble and granite and dispenses Castelo de Vide’s well known mineral water – It is said that drinking the water will cure all manner of ailments from high blood pressure to diabetes!
Fonte da Vila – Photo: 2suitcasesfor2years.com
On the edge of the Jewish Quarter, just off Rua da Fonte, is the 13th century synagogue (Sinagoga de Castelo de Vide) – This is the oldest synagogue in Portugal and possibly the oldest in Western Europe.
Sinagoga de Castelo de Vide – Wikimedia – José Luis Filpo Cabana
From the outside there is little remarkable about this synagogue and it looks much like the surrounding cottages, which is exactly what it was originally – Inside there still remains the wooden tabernacle and mihrab along with a small museum chronicling the life of Jews in the town.
Modern Town Center:
Below the medieval part of town is the modern day town center – well, not that modern, it consists largely of 17th and 18th century buildings and the narrow winding streets are replaced by wider avenues and squares – The elegant Praça Dom Pedro V is the main square and this is where you will find much of Castelo de Vide’s finest architecture – It is clear from the size and design flourishes of these buildings that this town was once a prosperous place.
Praça Dom Pedro V – Wikivoyage – Vitor Oliveira
The square lies in front of the town’s somewhat oversized main or Mother (Matrix) church, the Baroque Igreja de Santa Maria da Devesa – Taking nearly 100 years, the church was completed in 1873 – The facade of whitewashed stone and granite features twin bell towers along with a wonderfully ornate Baroque doorway.
Igreja de Santa Maria da Devesav – Photo: TripAdvisor
Competing with the church, across the square is the town hall with its ornate clock tower which mirrors the bell towers of the church.
Town Hall – Flickr – Vitor Oliveira
Self-Guided Walking Tour of Castelo de Vide:
Map of Castle and Jewish Quarter – Castelo de Vide
A recommended free parking area outside the main town center is located at Estrada da Circunvalação 3 (Parque Estacionamento), just outside the Jewish Quarter.
View of the Castelolo de Vide from our parking spot on Estrada da Circunvalação
Remains of old tower and wall
Just uphill and to the right from our parking is the Porta Santa Catarina (Gate of Saint Catherine), one of the gates to the town of Castelo de Vide (not our entrance – see below).
Porta de Santa Catarina (Gate of Saint Catherine)
We walked downhill and at the first left (Rua de Porta Nova), we veered left of the Antigas Termas (Ancient Baths) and started walking uphill into Castelo de Vide.
Antigas Termas (Ancient Baths)
We passed under an arch to enter the town of Castelo de Vide.
Entrance into Castelo de Vide – Google Maps – 360in360 Immersive Experiences
Past the arch we continued climbing…
View of the Castle as we climbed the cobblestones into town
Soon we came to the famous fountain of Castelo de Vide, the…
Fonte da Vila (Fountain of the Village):
Classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1953, it is the Ex-Líbris of the town, a monument that stands out among others, not only for its artistic value, but also for the architectural and urbanistic complex in which it is inserted.
Fonte da Vila (Fountain of the Village)
From here, we took a little detour to see a blacksmith’s shop to the south at Rua Nova 27.
Blacksmith’s Shop – Oficina-Museu do Mestre Carolino (Workshop/Museum of Master Carolino):
At the beginning of the 16th century, 12 blacksmiths’ workshops were set up on Rua Nova (New Street), where several Jewish craftsmen, who had been expelled from Spain and who had forcibly converted to Christianity, became known as New Christians (Conversos).
In the fifties of the 20th century, in this street there were still five blacksmith workshops working, among them, that of the Tapadejo family; now designated as the Oficina-Museu do Mestre Carolino (Workshop/Museum of Master Carolino).
Blacksmith’s shop – Oficina-Museu do Mestre Carolino (Master Carolino’s Workshop/Museum)
The Workshop/Museum is open Tuesday – Sunday, Winter (October 1 – May 31): 9 am – 12 pm; 1 pm – 4 pm; Summer (June 1 – September 30): 9 am – 12 pm; 1 pm – 5 pm; closed Monday, Free Admission; website: www.museumestrecarolino.pt/index.php
From the Blacksmith’s shop, we returned to the Fonte da Vila, and started uphill on Rua do Arçário (followed the sign to Judiaria, Castelo, and Sinagoga).
Follow the sign to Judiaria, Castelo, and Sinagoga
Doorways on Rua do Arçário
Manueline window on Rua do Arçário
Rua do Arçário was very steep
Cute doorway
View down Rua do Arçário
Climbing Rua do Arçário
On our left, at Rua do Arçário 23, was the…
Casa de Arçário (House of the Money Chest):
Tradition says that this was the house of the tax official who was responsible for the ‘arca‘ (money chest) – This is possibly the origin of the word ‘arçário’.
Casa de Arçário (House of the Money Chest) – Photo: TripAdvisor
We continued climbing up the street, now named Rua da Judiaria…
Picturesque doorways on Rua da Judiaria
until we reached the top of the hill…
View of Judiaria from the top of the hill
Tiled Wall honoring St. John
More doors and windows
and the…
Singoga de Castelo de Vide (Synagogue of Castelo de Vide):
Singoga de Castelo de Vide (Synagogue of Castelo de Vide)
Open Daily Summer (June 1 – September 30): 9 am – 1 pm; 3 pm – 6 pm; Winter (October 1 – May 31): 9 am – 1 pm; 2 pm – 5 pm.
Faint Jewish Star
15th Century Torah Ark – Wikimedia – Celso Pinto de Carvalho
Candlestick – Photo: pathsoffaith.com
Menorah – Photo: whotrips.com
Sinagoga exhibit – Flickr – Hugo Carriço
From the Synagogue, we climbed Rua da Fonte (with steps and a railing) up towards the Castle…
Rua da Fonte (with steps and a railing) outside the Synagogue – Google Street View
When we reached the top of Rua of Fonte, we wound around to the left until we reached Rua Santa Maria de Cima, where we turned right towards the Castle.
Top of Rua da Fonte
On our left, we stopped to examine the…
Homenagem a Salgueiro Maia (Memorial Salgueiro Maia):
This memorial is a tribute to Fernando José Salgueiro Maia (1944-1992), born in Castelo de Vide, the soldier who led the revolutionary forces during the Revolution of April 25, 1974, which marked the end of the dictatorship in Portugal.
Homenagem a Salgueiro Maia (Memorial Salgueiro Maia)
View from the memorial
From this point, we followed the sign (don’t follow Google Maps, it is incorrect), to the “Castelo” (Castle); the “Burgo Medieval” (Medieval Town); and the “Igreja Sa. Da Alegria” (Church of Our Lady of the Joy). We decided not to visit the Castle, so we continued through the gates to the “Burgo Medieval” (Medieval Town).
Sign across from the memorial – Google Street View
Follow the sign, not Google Maps
Aerial view of the Castle, Medieval Town, and Church of Our Lady of the Joy
First gate to the Castle and Medieval Village
Hedge that spells out Castelo de Vide
Second gate
Third gate – to the Medieval Village
Upon entering the Medieval Village, we turned immediately right on the first street, Rua do Relógio, and walked along the medieval wall.
Flowers along Rua do Relógio
to find at #11 the…
Antigos Paços do Concelho (Old Town Hall):
This is a small building with a Gothic door, an external staircase and an open archway, connecting Rua do Relógio with Rua do Balcão. This building is said to be the original Town Hall, where counselors issued the municipal laws in the 14th and 15th centuries.
Antigos Paços do Concelho (Old Town Hall)
We returned to the Medieval Village gate and turned right on Rua Direita.
Rua Direita – Medieval Village
On our right is the…
Fonte Do Bom Jesus das Presos (Fountain of Good Jesus of the Arrested):
This fountain is located along Rua Direita in a recessed niche, with a tiled representation of Our Lady.
Fonte Do Bom Jesus das Presos (Fountain of Good Jesus of the Arrested)
Traditional Medieval Town House (Rua Direita 13):
This traditional house, retains the original and rustic characteristics of the medieval town of Castelo de Vide, also known as Sintra do Ajentejo.
Joined to the castle wall, this house has a coat of arms over the door and two centuries-old silos preserved and documented by the archaeological nucleus of Castelo de Vide.
Traditional Medieval Town House (Rua Direita 13)
Exploring the Medieval Village
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Alegria (Church of Our Lady of the Joy):
The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Alegria (Church of Our Lady of the Joy) is located along Rua Direita inside the castle walls.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Alegria (Church of Our Lady of the Joy)
Main Façade – Image of Our Lady of the Joy
Inside, the church (unfortunately almost never open according to visitors… and not to us), of small dimensions, presents / displays a single nave and main chapel covered by semi-spherical vault, with a sacristy attached to the side of the Epistle.
Interior of Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Alegria (Church of Our Lady of the Joy) – Photo: TripAdvisor
Our Lady of Joy – Photo: castelodevideportugal.blogspot.com
The walls are fully lined with “carpet” tiles of different patterns, which Santos Simões identified in his Corpus de Azujeria of the seventeenth century, and which may be considered quite common in this period.
We exited the Burgo Medieval (Medieval Town) and returned downhill to the Monument to Salgueiro Maia.
Return to the Monument to Salgueiro Maia
From here, we descended on Rua Santa Maria de Cima, turning right on Rue Mousinho da Silveira at the bottom of this street and stopping at the…
Toca do Chocolate (Chocolate Shop):
This chocolate shop featuring homemade chocolates is a favorite with locals and tourists (Five-Star Reviews).
Toca do Chocolate (Chocolate Shop)
From here, after this refreshing break, we started downhill on the Rua de Baixo…
Downhill on the Rua de Baixo
to reach…
Igreja de São Tiago Maior (Church of Saint James Major):
This church would have been built in the 16th century and is located at Terreiro de São Tiago 3, at the intersection of Estrada da Circunvalação and Rua 8 de Infantaria.
Igreja de São Tiago Maior (Church of Saint James Major) – Wikimedia – Vitor Oliveira
On the right side of the church is the Fonte São Tiago (Fountain of Saint James) – The date of construction of this fountain is unknown, probably it would have been placed here when the Church of Saint James Major (16th century) was built as it is inlaid into the church wall.
Fonte São Tiago (Fountain of Saint James)
Aerial view of the Church of Saint James Major – Photo: www.jf-santiagomaior.com
Look down below and to the right of the church to see the…
Fortificação Abaluartada:
Fortificação Abaluartada
This fortification is part of the historical area around the castle of Castelo de Vide and that served as protection to the town.
We now made our way up Carreira de São Tiago and Rua de Baixo…
Carreira de São Tiago and Rua de Baixo
to the…
Igreja de São João (Church of Saint John):
This church was built in the 14th century, so, without a doubt, this is one of the oldest churches of Castelo de Vide.
Igreja de São João (Church of Saint John)
Seat of one of the parishes of the town, it is known that it belonged to the Order of Malta and was Commenda of the Nuns of the same order of Estremoz that happen to have been the founders of the Church.
Church window and tile of Saint John
Fonte do Ourives (Goldsmith Fountain):
In the middle of the Largo do Capitão Fernando Salgueiro Maia next to the Church of Saint John, there is this fountain.
The name of the fountain comes from the fact that there was a goldsmith’s shop in this place – In the letters carved in the marble it reads “CM 1889“.
This fountain is made of white marble and formed by four semicircular tanks, on which a central pillar with four faces rests, in the middle of each one there is a scowl with copper spout – On top is a frame of simelle and cornices with a pedestal and a vase that at one time had a metallic pineapple.
Quintas das Lavandas – Tonight’s countryside accommodation (see below) has a storefront on the same square as the Goldsmith Fountain.
Quintas das Lavandas
There is also a station of the Sacred Way (Via Sacra) on the square,
Passos da Via Sacra em Santiago Maior
and a recommended restaurant, A Confraria.
A Confraria Restaurant
Map of the area around the central square of Castelo de Vide
Across the street is the…
Igreja de Santa Maria da Devesa (Church of Saint Mary of Devesa):
The “Mother Church” (Igreja Matrix) of Castelo de Vide, this church is the focus of the Semana Santa (Holy Week) ceremonies.
Igreja de Santa Maria da Devesa (Church of Saint Mary of Devesa)
Located at the northwest end of the main square (Praça Dom Pedro V), its construction began in 1789, in the place where there would be a small chapel, founded in 1311 by Lourenço Pires and his wife – This construction was concluded around 1873 – It is a vast church, perhaps the largest of the Upper Alentejo.
Next door to the church is the…
Posto de Turismo (Tourist Office):
Open Daily, 9 am – 12:30 pm; 2 pm – 5:30 pm.
Tourist Office – Photo: TripAdvisor
Notice the sculptures adjacent to the Church and Tourist Office…
A Mother and her son…
To the musicians of the Union Artistic Band
Adjacent to the Tourist Office is the…
Estátua do El Rei Dom Pedro V (Statue of the King Peter V):
This is a statue honoring Dom Pedro V, nicknamed “the Hopeful”, King of Portugal from 1853 to 1861.
Estátua do El Rei Dom Pedro V (Statue of the King Peter V)
Walk around to the east side of the main square (Praça Dom Pedro V)
East side of the Church
to see the…
Câmara Municipal de Castelo de Vide (City Hall of Castelo de Vide):
Located along the east side of the main square (Praça Dom Pedro V), this is the seat of the municipality of Castelo de Vide, with a population of approximately 4,000.
Câmara Municipal de Castelo de Vide (City Hall of Castelo de Vide)
Pelourinho de Castelo de Vide (Pillory of Castelo de Vide):
In front of the City Hall is this pillory. A monument of civil architecture, revivalist, its typology fits in the so-called “corouréu pelourinhos” – It was rebuilt in 1941 with some original elements probably from the 17th century.
Pelourinho de Castelo de Vide (Pillory of Castelo de Vide)
Former Freixedas Pharmacy, now selling cork products as Portugal d’Alma
Café across from the City Hall
A few blocks to the southeast of the Câmara Municipal de Castelo de Vide (City Hall of Castelo de Vide) is a pretty stone fountain, the…
Fonte do Montorinho (Fountain of Montorinho):
This fountain in the Largo Mártires da República, all in marble stone, sits on an elevation of four steps, surrounding a round fountain, in the middle of which there is a cone-shaped trunk, from where the three spouts emerge, topped with a boy figure with a trident on the back of another fish.
Just southeast of this fountain (and the main square) is the…
Parque João José da Luz:
In 1889 it was landscaped all the way to the Mother Church (Igrega Matrix or Igreja de Santa Maria da Devesa), also known as Aramenha Park, today called the Parque João José da Luz, being, however, better known by Jardim Grande (Grand Park).
Parque João José da Luz
“Manneken-Pis” – known as “The Boy Peeing”
Southeast of the Park is the…
Antigo Convento/Igreja de São Francisco (Ancient Convent/Church of St. Francis):
Founded in 1585, at the expense of Gaspar de Mattos and his wife, Beatriz de Mattos, the Convent of Our Lady of the Conception, Friars Recoletos of the Order of St. Francis, was the first religious institution of this active field in Castelo de Vide.
Antigo Convento/Igreja de São Francisco (Ancient Convent/Church of St. Francis)
We now headed for our car and another nearby small town, Marvão.
Tile on wall
House of Saigueiro Maia
Porta de Santa Catarina
Marvão:
Just a few miles away from Castelo de Vide (approx. 17 min. drive) is the medieval village of Marvão – At 865 meters above sea level, it’s the highest village in Portugal – Listed in the “1,000 Places to See Before You Die”.
Marvão Castle – Photo: Pinterest
Like Castelo de Vide, this is another picturesque village with white-washed homes bedecked with flowers.
Street with flowers – Photo: tourtravelandmore.com
Views of Marvão in approaching the town
To enter the village, you pass through a narrow medieval archway (park outside and walk through) – Marvão is really perched on top of the hill – There is a large car park near the main gate entrance (Porta de Ródão) which is very practical – Don’t drive inside the village – the streets are narrow and parking is limited!
Car park by the main entrance
Walking from the main car park to the main entrance
Almost there
Main entrance to the town
The 13th-century walls that surround the village are still mostly intact – At the highest point of the village stands the Marvão Castle – This castle was built in the late 13th century.
Aerial view of Marvão – Photo: VisitPortugal
From the castle, there are fantastic views of the Spanish border just 15 kilometres away, and the stunning terrain of northern Alentejo – There’s a small fee to enter the castle.
Marvão Castle – Photo: delveintoeurope.com
History of Marvão
Already since the Roman period, its location and its rocky slopes made it useful as a refuge and strategic military point.
The Moors built the first fortifications in 884 – and named the stronghold after Ibn Marwan al-Yil’liqu, the Moorish Lord of Coimbra.
Marvão fell to the Christians in 1166 – In 1226 the town received the charter by the hand of King D. Sancho II and around 1229 the castle was rebuilt by D. Denis as another important link in the chain of fortresses along the Spanish border.
The castle is dauntingly impenetrable, and was provided with a huge cisterna (cistern), just inside the main entrance, still full of water, designed to supply the entire village.
Indeed, the castle was captured only once, in 1833, when the attackers entered through a secret gate.
All the historical events that involved the town of Marvão made this town receive the title of Very Noble and Always Loyal by the Portuguese Queen D. Maria II, a phrase that can be read in the coat of arms of the town.
Walking Tour of Marvão:
Starting at the main entrance gate (Porta de Ródão), it is about a 6 min. walk uphill rising about 50 meters to reach the Castelo de Marvão (Castle of Marvão).
Just inside the main entrance gate (Porta de Ródão) is the…
Posto de Turismo Marvão (Office of Tourism of Marvão):
Open Daily, 10 am – 5 pm; www.cm-marvao.pt; +351 245 909 131.
Tourist information office on the left
Nancy outside the Tourist Information Office
You’ll notice there are stairs over the main gate to get to the walls of the town. You can climb and walk the walls of the town at certain points, like this one.
Stairs to walk the walls
Walking the walls of Marvão – Photo: Forbes
Opposite the Tourist Information Office there are some steps for us to start climbing into the town.
Steps to start climbing into town
Climbing the steps
When we reached Rua do Castelo, we looked left to see the…
Capela do Espirito Santo (Chapel of the Holy Spirit):
The Capela do Espírito Santo (Chapel of the Holy Spirit) was founded in 1573, as an annex to support the charitable works of the Portuguese Misericórdia (Mercy) hospital.
Capela do Espírito Santo (Chapel of the Holy Spirit) – Photo: VisitarPortugal
Fonte do Concelho:
In front of the church is a small square with an 18th-century marble fountain, the Fonte do Concelho.
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Fonte do Concelho
Antiga Casa do Governador (Former House of the Governor):
Just beyond this fountain along Rua do Castelo are beautiful wrought-iron balconies from the 17th century of the Antiga Casa do Governador (Former House of the Governor).
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Wrought-iron balconies from the 17th century
From here, we made an about face and headed northwest uphill towards the Castle.
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Heading northwest towards the Castle – Google Street View
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Time for a paint job?
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Climbing toward the Castle
At the top of the hill, we paused to view our surroundings. On the left, we saw the Igreja de Santa Maria (Church of Saint Mary) and a beautiful park, the Jardim do Castelo de Marvão (Garden of the Castle of Marvão), both which we will see more of after we visit the Castle.
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Igreja de Santa Maria (Church of Saint Mary)
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Jardim do Castelo de Marvão (Garden of the Castle of Marvão)
On our right, there is a…
Monumento a Ibn Maruan (Monument to Ibn Marwan):
The name Marvão comes from an arab warrior called “Ibn-Marwan”, that died in 889. He was the leader of a movement that decided to fight the Emirs of Córdova and found a sort of independent Kingdom. This was the place he choose to build his fortress. This modern sculpture memorializes this warrior.
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Monumento a Ibn Maruan (Monument to Ibn Marwan)
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The town walls are thicker here
Now we continued uphill into the Castle…
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Entering the Castle
Castelo de Marvão (Castle of Marvão):
Open Daily 10 am – 5 pm; €1.50.
The Castelo do Marvão (Castle of Marvão) as it stands today was mostly built under Dom Denis in the 13th century. Located at the highest point on the plateau, the castle overlooks the whole village and controls the entry.
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Views of Marvão from the initial Castle ramparts
One of the most interesting features of the Marvao Castle is the cistern – Close to the entrance you can walk down the steep staircase to access the vast cistern area – It allowed to keep water for 6 months in case of an attack.
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The cistern
Upon entry, after buying your ticket, you have to go through two more gates to get through the initial ramparts.
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Two more gates after clearing first one
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“Castelo” hedges
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Initial ramparts of the Castle
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Triple gate entry and initial ramparts – Photo: www.360cities.net
After clearing the initial gates and ramparts, you’ll be surprised by the open space before reaching the Castle Keep.
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Open space in front of the Castle Keep
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Another view of the open space and Castle Keep from the initial ramparts
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The Castle Keep – Photo: www.360cities.net
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Exploring the Castle Keep
Upon exiting the Castle, we’re now ready to explore the Igreja de Santa Maria (Church of Saint Mary) and the Jardim do Castelo de Marvão (Garden of the Castle of Marvão).
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View of the Church and Park from the Castle
Jardim do Castelo de Marvão (Garden of the Castle of Marvão):
Though very small, the garden is very well maintained.
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Marvão hedges in the garden
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Jardim do Castelo de Marvão – Photo: Wikimedia
Igreja de Santa Maria (Church of Saint Mary)/Municipal Museum of Marvão (Museu Municipal de Marvão):
The Church of Santa Mary, long closed for worship, and in an advanced state of ruin, was recovered recently for the installation of a museum. Its renovated exhibition hall offers a brief overview of regional history from the Paleolithic era to more recent centuries.
Open Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am – 12:30 pm; 1:30 pm – 5 pm; Closed, Monday; €2.00.
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Igreja de Santa Maria (Church of Saint Mary)
Municipal Museum of Marvão (Museu Municipal de Marvão)
Continuing southwest from the Church of Saint Mary/Municipal Museum, the next site is the…
Câmara Municipal de Marvão (Town Hall of Marvão):
This is the New Town Hall of Marvão (as opposed to the Old Town Hall, now the Casa do Cultura (House of Culture).
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Câmara Municipal de Marvão (Town Hall of Marvão)
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Marvão coat-of-arms
From here, there are great views of the Marvão plains and the Castle
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Viewpoint by the Town Hall
Continue along the medieval wall…
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Continuing along the medieval wall
until you reach the…
Igreja de Santiago (Church of Saint James):
In 1321, the Igreja de Santiago (Church of Saint James) and the already visited Igreja de Santa Maria (Church of Saint Mary) were the two parish churches of Marvão – They both belonged to the Order of the Hospital, which in religious terms was dependent on the Priorate of Crato – Later, they were joined together to form just one parish, Santa Maria (St. Mary), which has remained the case until today.
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Igreja de Santiago (Church of Saint James)
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Exploring the Church of Saint James
At the far end of the walled town…
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Continue walking downhill
there is another church, the…
Capela do Calvário (Chapel of Calvary):
This polygonal church, built in 1904, is part of the traditional domed temples, housing the images of the Virgin and St. John and reflects the popular piety of the Steps of the Lord that expanded in the 20th century throughout the Alentejo region.
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Capela do Calvário (Chapel of Calvary) – Wikimedia – Vitor Oliveira
Casa do Cultura (House of Culture):
The Casa do Cultura (House of Culture) is also a place to visit located on the Largo do Pelourinho (Square of the Pillory) (formerly the Paços do Concelho [Town Hall]), and also known as Câmara Velha (Old Chamber), it shows all its beauty built in the Manueline style.
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Largo do Pelourinho (Square of the Pillory)
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Casa do Cultura (House of Culture)
This building functioned as an old court/jail at one time…
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Old Jail
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Exploring around the Largo do Pelourinho
We now exited the town and made our way back to our car. Our tour of Marvão is over.
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Making our way back to our car
Our Accommodation outside Castelo de Vide – Quinta das Lavandas:
Located overlooking beautiful fields of lavender 7 miles north of Castelo de Vide, our accommodation featured a suite with a “Wonderful Breakfast” on Easter Morning (€10 for two), with a queen bed and a terrace (there was no WiFi in our accommodation – though it was available in the Quinta).
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Quinta das Lavandas
Castelo de Vide Easter Vigil:
We returned at night to Castelo de Vide to participate in the Easter Vigil at the Church of Saint Mary of Devesa.
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Easter Vigil in Castelo de Vide
At night, during the Vigília Pascal (Easter Vigil), there is the Blessing of the New Light and the Baptismal Water, the Eucharist and the Resurrection of Our Lord is announced – On leaving church, there is a most interesting tradition – Some people will approach and ask, in secret, for forgiveness, in a tradition that recalls the Jewish festival of Pardon, known as Yom Kippur.
At the end of the mass,cowbells ring the Cortejo da Aleluia (Procession of Alleluia) both in the Church through the town.
Cowbells used in the Easter Vigil