8 days in Portugal-5-11 to 5/18/2022

Day 7- Beja Castle, Beja-5/17/2022

Today we are driving back to Lisbon and since we have plenty of time we decided to stop by in Beja.

The drive from the Old Town Faro to Beja is about 90 minutes. 

Beja is a small town so it was easy to park close to the Castle.

The castle is located on a hilltop so it was really easy to spot from afar.

The Castle of Beja is a medieval castle, namely its keep, is the most and emblematic monument of the city. 

Standing out from the fortress is the imposing Keep, with a height of almost 132 foot and considered by some experts as a masterpiece of European Gothic Military architecture.

Panoramic view of the garden surrounding the Castle.

Pathway in the garden leading to the entrance of the Castle.

More view of the garden and the medieval walls surrounding the castle.

It is a Gothic fortress whose construction began in the 13th century, shortly after the Christian conquest of the city, and continues in the 14th century and possibly in the 15th century.

Fortification walls in front of the castle.

The entrance is on the side on the left. 

Entrance to the courtyard.

The courtyard before entering the castle.

Entrance into the castle.

The inner wall, the tower and on the right is a Museum (yellow building).

The tower is very tall and imposing.

Steps leading to upper portion of the castle.

A huge tree providing some much needed shade.

Narrow stairs leading to upper level of the castle.

View on the inner court from the upper level.

Fortification wall

After a period of intense fighting between Muslims and Christians which lasted for nearly a century, the town of Beja and its territory integrated for over five hundred years in the Islamic al-Adulus, became part of the kingdom of Portugal from the 2nd quarter of the 13th century. The town was so depopulated and destroyed that a priority of the Portuguese monarch was to rebuild it and restore the walls and the castle.

It is uncertain whether the current layout of the walls follows the line of the ancient defensive walls or use part of them.

View of the Museum on the left from the upper level.

We are now headed to the Keep.

View of the Keep (fortified tower).

Inside the Keep.

Moss growing on the fortification walls.  I never seen moss in this color.

We are now done with the visit and we are leaving the castle.

View of the entrance/exit door from inside the courtyard

NEXT.... Day 7-Cathedral of Beja