Castle of the Moors

Castle of the Moors
Castelo dos Mouros
Lisbon, Greater Lisbon, Lisbon in Portugal
The north-facing wall of the Castle of the Moors, perched on top of the Sintra Mountains, showing the rectangular towers, including the Royal Tower (top left)
Map
Coordinates38°47′33″N 9°23′22″W / 38.79250°N 9.38944°W / 38.79250; -9.38944
TypeCastle
Site information
OwnerPortuguese Republic
OperatorParques de Sintra Monte da Lua S.A.[1]
Open to
the public
Public
Site history
Built8th century
MaterialsGranite, Limestone with "mixtum vittatum"

The Castle of the Moors (Portuguese: Castelo dos Mouros) is a hilltop medieval castle located in the central Portuguese civil parish of Santa Maria e São Miguel, in the municipality of Sintra, about 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Lisbon. Built by the Moors in the 8th and 9th centuries, it was an important strategic point during the Reconquista, and was taken by Christian forces after the fall of Lisbon in 1147. It is classified as a National Monument, part of the Sintra Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  1. ^ Parques de Sintra Monte da Lua S.A. operates the tourist concession of many sites within the municipality of Sintra, originally under a concession from the Instituto da Conservação da Natureza, Ministério da Agricultura, Desenvolvimento Rural e Pescas, Câmara Municipal de Sintra and Instituto da Conservação da Natureza, Instituto Português do Património Arquitectónico