Almourol Castle

Almourol sits on a granite outcrop in the Tagus with water on every side and no room for anything but the castle. The Templars rebuilt it in 1171 under Gualdim Pais, whose inscription is still over the gate, and the result is compact and complete: a curtain wall with nine round towers, a taller keep in the middle, and a walkway around the top that takes a few minutes to circle. Because the river is broad and slow here, the reflection doubles the walls in still weather. Getting there is half the visit - a small boat runs across from the bank, and the crossing gives the view that makes the place, the whole island fortress rising straight out of the water.

History

The rock was fortified long before the present walls: the castle is thought to stand on a Lusitanian hillfort that the Romans took in the 1st century BC, and excavations have turned up Roman remains. Portuguese forces captured it in 1129, when it was known as Almorolan, and the Templar master Gualdim Pais began rebuilding it in 1171 - the date carved over the main gate. Once it lost its strategic role it was abandoned and fell into ruin. The state's monuments directorate began restoring it in 1939, parts of it were fitted out around 1940-1950 as an official residence of the Portuguese Republic, and the keep was consolidated in 1958-1959 (Wikipedia, Castle of Almourol).

What you'll find

• The boat crossing - a few minutes on the Tagus with the island fortress ahead.
• The keep - the tower at the centre of the enclosure, with steps to the roof.
• The wall walk - a short circuit of the curtain wall above the water.
• The gate inscription - the 12th-century dedication carved over the entrance.

When to go

Summer is the reliable season because the boat depends on the river - high or fast water in winter and spring stops the crossing, sometimes for weeks. Late afternoon gives the best light on the granite and the calmest surface for reflections. Weekends bring queues at the small jetty.

Practical notes

The castle is tiny and empty inside - twenty minutes covers it, and there is no exhibition, shade or shelter on the island. Crossings are cancelled without warning when the river runs high, and the schedule is loose out of season. Stairs are steep and worn. It photographs better from the bank than it visits.

Nearby

Constancia's riverside town is next door and Tomar's convent half an hour north.

Key facts