Castle of Alfeizerão, building in Alcobaça, Leiria District, Portugal
Castelo de Alfeizerão is a medieval fortress on a hilltop near São Martinho do Porto, Portugal, built around 1147 to guard a coastal port. Only fragments of the original square structure with its eight towers and central keep remain visible today, including partial walls and two semicircular towers.
King D. Afonso Henriques conquered the fortress in 1147 during the Reconquista and strengthened it to defend the coast from invasions. The 1755 earthquake destroyed much of the structure and triggered the port's decline through sedimentation and loss of access.
The Castelo de Alfeizerão carries a name possibly derived from Phoenician or Arabic trading words, reflecting its role as a former port settlement. The remaining stone walls and semicircular towers are today overgrown with vegetation, showing how the ruins have merged with the natural landscape.
The ruins sit in a quiet, open area that is easy to walk around at your own pace, as the site receives few visitors. The surrounding fields and sparse vegetation make the remains simple to explore without crowds or distractions.
A geodetic marker for land surveying was placed on one of the old walls, showing that the ruins continue to be recognized in modern mapping projects. This connection between historical structure and contemporary scientific use adds a surprising practical layer to the site's story.
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