Castle of Alter Pedroso, building in Alter do Chãeso, Portalegre District, Portugal
The Castle of Alter Pedroso is a stone fortress built on a hilltop near Alter do Chao. Its thick walls and pointed gothic gate remain, along with the remains of towers, a small chapel called Sao Bento, and traces of an inner courtyard from the original medieval structure.
The castle was granted by King Afonso III to the Knights of the Order of Avis in the 1200s and served as a key defensive stronghold for the Alentejo region. King Dinis ordered repairs and reconstruction in the late 1200s to maintain its strategic importance against invasions and regional conflicts.
The castle bears the name of the village of Alter Pedroso and continues to shape local identity today. The ruins stand as a quiet symbol of the region's medieval past and remind visitors of the importance this fortress held for the people who once lived here.
The path to the castle starts from the village and winds through quiet rural land with a gradual climb to the hilltop. Wear comfortable shoes as the terrain is open and exposed to wind, especially on clear days when you can enjoy broad views of the countryside.
The site contains traces from multiple historical periods, including evidence from the Iron Age and Roman times, showing that the land was inhabited long before the medieval fortress was built. These layered periods of human activity reveal how this location remained important across different ages.
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