Marvão Castle - Portugal

Marvão is one of those places that I really want to visit again. I've enough cards from there but I want to take more pictures.

These 1st two cards were bought by me and the last two have both been sent by Vitória. The last one came with a matching stamp and postmark.

The Marvão Castle is located on the highest peak of the lovely São Mamede Mountain, in the heart of the Natural Park. 

The first Portuguese king, D. Afonso Henriques, would have conquered this fortification to the Moors, around the year 1166, on the sequence of the campaign that started with the conquest of Alcácer do Sal. The most ancient date that confirms the Portuguese presence in this Castle is 1214. 

In 1271 the Castle was donated to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and already in the reign of king D. Dinis (1279 to 1325) was increased and was built the Donjon tower. Also king D. João I, after the 1385 crisis, ordered the reinforcement of the Castle’s defences and implements the region’s populating.

www.edigpostal.com

New conservation works took place after the restoration of the Portuguese Independence in 1640, for the artillery adaptation, and even before the end of the works, the Castle was attacked by the Spanish forces that also attacked again in 1704 and 1772. 

Already in the 19th century, during the French Invasions, this Castle got to be occupied by the French troops.

 

Foto: Raúl Ladeira

Classified as a National Monument, it is now in a good state of conservation. 

This Castle is a fortress town, as the settlement is surrounded by the first line of defensive walls. 

Here is also located the armoury archaeological Museum. - in: https://www.guiadacidade.pt/en/poi-castelo-de-marvao-13929