Castle of Silves, Medieval castle in Silves, Portugal
The fortress stands on a hilltop with eleven square towers and red sandstone walls reaching four meters in thickness throughout its perimeter.
Built during Roman times and expanded by Moors from the 8th to 13th centuries, the castle served as a regional capital until its final capture by Portuguese forces in 1242.
The castle incorporates Moorish construction techniques, including taipa walls made from a mixture of mud and sandstone that develops stone-like properties.
Visitors can access two preserved underground water cisterns, with the larger Moorish one measuring 60 meters deep and featuring four vaulted chambers supported by columns.
The castle contains a cistern known as El Moura Encantada, which supplied water to Silves residents until the 1990s through its complex underground collection system.
Location: Silves
Architectural style: Moorish architecture
Operator: Câmara Municipal de Silves, auto de cessão de 19 Novembro 1940
GPS coordinates: 37.18563,-8.43708
Latest update: May 12, 2025 16:24
The inland Algarve contains nature reserves, medieval castles, and Roman ruins. The region includes thermal springs in Monchique, the red sandstone castle of Silves, and the bone chapel in Faro. Natural parks like Ria Formosa host multiple bird species. Historical villages, coastal fortresses, and lighthouses mark the landscape.
The Algarve region offers diverse photo opportunities from coastal formations to historical structures. The Benagil cave displays a natural ceiling opening, while Ponta da Piedade presents limestone cliffs by the Atlantic. The red sandstone Castle of Silves stands on a hill, and Capela dos Ossos shows architectural elements made of bones. The region includes beaches like Praia da Marinha with rock formations, and natural areas such as Ria Formosa with its water channels and wildlife. Historical sites include the Sagres Fortress and Roman ruins at Cerro da Villa.
Aquaparque Slide & Splash
6.1 km
Silves Cathedral
518 m
Alcantarilha
7.6 km
Cruz de Portugal
1.1 km
Parchal
9 km
Fábrica do Inglês
555 m
Ponte Velha de Silves
193 m
Igreja Matriz de Lagoa
5.7 km
New Portimão Bridge
7.2 km
Igreja Paroquial de Porches
7.5 km
Convent of Nossa Senhora do Carmo
6.3 km
Convent of São José, Lagoa
5.6 km
Igreja matriz de Estômbar
6.3 km
Ermida de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires
727 m
Igreja da Misericórdia de Silves
521 m
Convento de Santo António ou de São Francisco do Praxel
6.8 km
Pelourinho de Silves
409 m
Quinta Pedagógica
8.2 km
Silves Archaeological Museum
405 m
Câmara Municipal de Silves
451 m
Imóvel denominado "Casas Grandes"
239 m
Poço-cisterna árabe de Silves
629 m
Muralhas e Porta da Almedina de Silves
555 m
Cercados do Lince Ibérico
9.6 km
Casa n.º 18 do Largo D. Jerónimo Osório
442 m
Necrópole do Poço dos Mouros
7 km
Casa na Rua Dr. Francisco Vieira, n.º 38 a 42
393 m
Water Mill and Nora at Sítio das Fontes
5.1 kmReviews
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