Castle of Almourol
| Castle of Almourol (Castelo de Almourol) | |
| Castle (Castelo) | |
 An image of the castle from the narrow channel that separates the islet of Almourol on the Tagus River
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| Official name: Castelo de Almourol | |
| Named for: Almourol | |
| Country |  Portugal |
|---|---|
| Region | Centre |
| Subregion | Médio Tejo |
| District | Lisbon |
| Municipality | Vila Nova da Barquinha |
| Location | Praia do Ribatejo |
| - elevation | 18 m (59 ft) |
| - coordinates | 39°27′43″N 8°23′1.79″W / 39.46194°N 8.3838306°WCoordinates: 39°27′43″N 8°23′1.79″W / 39.46194°N 8.3838306°W |
| Length | 310 m (1,017 ft), Southwest-Northeast |
| Width | 75 m (246 ft), Northwest-Southwest |
| Architects | Gualdim Pais |
| Styles | Romanesque, Moorish, Gothic, Revivalist |
| Material | Granite masonry |
| Origin | fl. 1171 |
| - Initiated | c. 1171 |
| Owner | Portuguese Republic |
| For public | Public |
| Visitation | Closed (Mondays and on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May and 25 December) |
| Easiest access | E.N.365/118, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Vila Nova da Barquinha |
| Management | Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico |
| Status |
National Monument Monumento Nacional |
| Listing | Decree 16 June 1910; DG136, 23 June 1910 |
| Website: http://www.castelodealmourol.com/home | |
The Castle of Almourol is a medieval castle, located on a small islet in the middle of the Tagus River, in the civil parish of Praia do Ribatejo, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the municipal seat of Vila Nova da Barquinha, in the Portuguese Centre Region. The castle was part of the defensive line controlled by the Knights Templar, and a stronghold used during the Portuguese Reconquista.
It is believed that the castle was constructed on the site of a primitive Lusitanian castro that was later conquered by the Romans during the 1st century B.C.E. It was later remodelled by successive invading forces, including the Alans, Visigoths and Moors, although it is unclear when the actual castle was established. In excavations carried out in the interior and exterior enclosures, various vestiges of Roman occupation were discovered, that included coins, millennium markers and Roman foundations, while medieval remnants such as medallions and two marble columns were also discovered in the castle's vicinity.
The castle of Almourol is one of the more emblematic and cenographic medieval military monuments of the Reconquista, and best representation of the influence of the Knights Templar in Portugal. When it was conquered in 1129, by forces loyal to the Portuguese nobility, it was then known as Almorolan, and placed in the trust of Gualdim Pais, the master of the Knights Templar in Portugal, who rebuilt the structure. The structure was reconstructed, starting in 1171 (from an inscription over the principal gate) and restored during the subsequent reigns.
Losing its strategic place, it was abandoned resulting in its fall into ruins. In the 19th century, it was "reinvented" by idealistic romantics, which eventually led to interventions in the 1940s and 1950s, and its adaption as Official Residence of the Portuguese Republic. During this period, restorations had proceeded, transforming the physical appearance of the structure, including the addition of crenellations and bartizans.
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