Castelo de São Jorge

The Castelo de São Jorge stands on the highest hill of Lisbon, where the city began. Its walls and towers, its gardens and its terraces offer the finest views over the Portuguese capital, and its archaeological site traces more than two thousand years of occupation.

The hill where Lisbon began

The site was occupied in the Iron Age and under the Romans, and the Moors built the fortress that King Afonso Henriques took in 1147, bringing Lisbon into the new kingdom of Portugal. The castle later became a royal palace, lost its importance in the sixteenth century and was extensively restored in the twentieth, when much of the old neighbourhood inside its walls was rebuilt.

What to see

• The walls and towers, with a walk along the ramparts.
• The archaeological site, with traces of Moorish and earlier occupations.
• The Camera Obscura in the Tower of Ulysses, which projects the city onto a screen.
• The gardens and terraces, with peacocks and panoramic views over Lisbon.

Visiting the castle

The castle is reached on foot through the streets of Alfama and Castelo. Opening hours and tickets are published on the official website, so check before your visit.

Visitor information: castelodesaojorge.pt.

Image credit: Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon, by Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.