Castle of Silves

Castle of Silves
Castelo de Silves
Faro, Algarve, Algarve in Portugal
Aerial view of Silves castle
Coordinates37°11′27.56″N 8°26′16.46″W / 37.1909889°N 8.4379056°W / 37.1909889; -8.4379056
TypeCastle
Site information
OwnerPortuguese Republic
OperatorCâmara Municipal de Silves
Open to
the public
Public
Site history
Builtc. 201 BCE
MaterialsTaipa, Silves Sandstone, Masonry, Wood

The Castle of Silves is a castle in the civil parish of Silves in the municipality of Silves in the Portuguese Algarve. It's believed that the first fortifications were built upon a possible Lusitanian castro, by the Romans or Visigoths. Between the 8th and 13th centuries, the castle was occupied by the moors who expanded it, making it one of the best preserved Moorish fortifications in Portugal,[1] resulting in its classification as a National Monument in 1910.

  1. ^ IGESPAR, ed. (2011). "Castelo de Silves" (in Portuguese). Lisbon, Portugal: IGESPAR-Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2012.