Castle of Mértola, Medieval fortress in Mértola, Portugal.
The Castle of Mértola is a medieval fortress sitting on a hilltop overlooking the Guadiana River, with four towers and thick defensive walls surrounding its rectangular layout. The site rises above the valley floor and commands views across the landscape with a keep tower visitors can climb for wider vistas.
The site began as a Phoenician settlement around 318 BC and developed into a Roman center known as Myrtilis Julia. In the 12th century, Islamic builders made significant changes to the fortress before it became part of Portuguese history.
The castle functions as part of a museum complex where you can see Roman, Visigothic, Christian, and Islamic objects that tell stories of the different peoples who lived here over time.
You can climb to the top of the main tower to look out over the Guadiana Valley and the natural park of the same name. An information video on site helps explain the history and development of the location.
Between 1240 and 1316, the castle served as the national headquarters of the Military Order of Santiago, showing its strategic importance during the Portuguese Reconquista. This role as an order's main base is a lesser-known chapter in its long past.
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