O Castelo de Tavira

O Castelo de Tavira (the castle of Tavira) dates back to the 11th century when the region was under Moorish rule. After Paio Peres Correia, a Portuguese Master of the Order of Santiago, led the reconquest of Tavira from the Moors, the castle underwent substantial repairs and its fortifications expanded. Through its history, the castle sustained significant damage, especially during the 1755 earthquake. In 1939, the castle was classified as a national monument and substantial parts of it remain today.

This tall octagonal tower is known as an albarrã tower, a distinctive Moorish defensive tower almost exclusively seen in the Iberian peninsula.

The Castle

In the map view, I roughly sketched perimeter of the castle, and denoted the tall octagonal tower and three other rectangular fortifications. A battlement runs along the eastern side.

I found these historical drawings and photographs on the Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitetónico (SIPA) website. Some are very cool, check them out.

Entrance and Garden

The main entrance into the castle is through an arched gatehouse. Walking inside, you are immediately captivated by the well maintained garden inside. Partway through the garden, make sure to turn and look back at the entrance and you’ll have a great view of the clock tower of nearby Igreja Santa Maria do Castelo.

There is another entrance to the castle, accessible via a steep set of stairs off of Rua da Liberdade. While steep, this approach gives you a pretty stellar view of the octagonal tower, and upon finishing the climb, you arrive at the base of the tower.

Towers

Are there three or four towers? Let’s face it — I am not writing a dissertation on this, so I am going to say there are 3 towers. The first picture is the octagonal tower. On the adjacent wall, you can find this second tower. The final tower can be found closer to the main entrance.

Stairs and Walls

Climbing up the steep but short staircase to the castle walls is something I never grow tired of doing. It is quiet here, at least in the winter time, and the views are amazing.

Legend Has It

Moorish Legend says that on the eve of Dia de São João (St. John’s day) a beautiful Moorish woman appeared on the castle walls at the stroke of midnight. Some say the maiden was the daughter of the Moorish ruler of Tavira, Aben Fabilla. When the castle was taken during the Reconquista, her father cast a spell on her hoping for a brave knight to save her.