Lisbon‘s ancient skyline is dominated by the imposing silhouette of St. George‘s Castle (Castelo de São Jorge), perched atop the city‘s highest hill. With its massive crenellated walls, stout towers, and commanding views over the Tagus River and Lisbon‘s historic neighborhoods, this is a castle that exudes power and majesty. But St. George‘s Castle is more than just a pretty landmark – it‘s a monument with a rich and complex history stretching back over a millennium. As a historian, I‘d like to take you on a journey through the fascinating story of this hilltop fortress and its role in shaping the destiny of Portugal.
Ancient Origins and the Moorish Citadel
While the current castle dates back to the medieval period, the hilltop it occupies has been a strategic location for much longer. Archaeologists have found traces of human settlement here dating back to the 6th century BC, including remnants of Phoenician, Greek, and Carthaginian trading posts. The Romans also recognized the defensive potential of the site and built a fortified town here known as Olissipo.
However, it was during the period of Moorish rule that the first major fortifications were constructed on the hill. In the 8th century, Muslim forces conquered much of the Iberian Peninsula, including Lisbon. They built a walled citadel (or alcáçova) atop the hill to defend their territory. Remains of this Moorish wall can still be seen around the castle today.
The Moorish castle was a formidable defensive structure, with thick stone walls, towering ramparts, and a series of gates and barbicans. It served as the residence of the Moorish elite and a military garrison to control the city and the surrounding area. According to Arab chroniclers of the time, the castle was known as al-Hisn al-Isbuna or "the Fortress of Lisbon."
The Christian Reconquest and the Birth of a Kingdom
The Moorish castle‘s fate was sealed in 1147, when Christian forces under Portugal‘s first king, Afonso Henriques, captured Lisbon after a prolonged siege. Afonso Henriques was a fierce warrior who had devoted himself to driving the Moors out of Portugal and establishing an independent Christian kingdom. The fall of Lisbon and its citadel was a decisive moment in this Reconquista campaign.
As the chronicler Osbern of Bawdsey recorded, the siege of Lisbon was a brutal affair: "After a time one of the towers, which had been battered and undermined, fell with a mighty crash, bringing down with it an adjoining piece of wall. Through the breach thus made the assailants bravely entered the town, and the banners of the victorious army floated on the towers."
With Lisbon secure, Afonso Henriques declared himself King of Portugal and made the city his capital in 1255. The castle became the royal palace and the seat of power for the fledgling Portuguese monarchy. This marked the beginning of a new era for the castle as a symbol of Christian dominance and Portuguese independence.
The Royal Palace and the English Connection
Under Portuguese rule, St. George‘s Castle was transformed from a purely military fortification into a lavish royal residence. Successive kings expanded and embellished the castle over the centuries, turning it into a grand palace fit for a monarch.
One of the most significant rulers associated with the castle was King Dinis I, who reigned from 1279 to 1325. Dinis ordered a major renovation of the castle, strengthening its walls and building new towers and a royal chapel. He also established a sophisticated water supply system, with cisterns and an aqueduct to bring fresh water up to the hilltop.
It was also during Dinis‘ reign that the castle acquired its current name, thanks to a diplomatic alliance with England. In 1371, Portugal and England signed the Treaty of Tagilde, cementing a political and military partnership that endures to this day. To commemorate this alliance, Dinis dedicated the castle to St. George, the patron saint of England.
The castle‘s English connection was further reinforced in the 16th century when Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese princess, married King Charles II of England. As part of her dowry, Catherine brought the city of Tangier and the Seven Islands of Bombay to England, laying the foundations for the British Empire in India.
Decline, Disaster, and Rebirth
Despite its grandeur, St. George‘s Castle‘s days as a royal palace were numbered. In the early 16th century, King Manuel I decided to build a new palace down by the Tagus riverfront, known as the Ribeira Palace. The old hilltop castle gradually fell out of favor with the monarchy.
The castle suffered further misfortune in 1531, when a devastating earthquake struck Lisbon. The tremors severely damaged the castle‘s walls and towers, and it was never fully rebuilt to its former glory. Another catastrophic earthquake in 1755, followed by fires and a tsunami, left much of Lisbon including the castle in ruins.
For centuries after these disasters, St. George‘s Castle languished in a state of neglect and decay. It was used variously as a military barracks, a prison, and even a slum housing the city‘s poor. By the early 20th century, the once proud castle was little more than a crumbling relic.
However, the castle‘s fortunes began to change in the 1940s, when the Portuguese government launched a major restoration project aimed at returning the fortress to its former glory. Led by architect Augusto de Castro, the project rebuilt the castle‘s walls, towers, and battlements based on historical and archaeological evidence.
While some critics have dismissed the restored castle as a romantic fantasy rather than a faithful reconstruction, the renovations undoubtedly saved this important piece of Portuguese heritage from ruin. The castle reopened to the public in 1944 and has since become one of Lisbon‘s most popular tourist attractions, drawing over 2 million visitors per year.
Exploring the Castle Today
Today, visitors to St. George‘s Castle can explore its sprawling grounds and imagine what life was like here during its long and tumultuous history. The castle‘s walls and eleven towers offer breathtaking panoramic views over Lisbon‘s historic center, the Tagus River, and the distant Atlantic Ocean.
One of the highlights is the Ulysses Tower, which houses a camera obscura that projects real-time images of the city onto a screen. You can also visit the castle‘s archaeological site, where excavations have uncovered remnants of the ancient settlements that once occupied this hilltop, from the Phoenicians to the Moors.
The castle‘s museum offers a fascinating look at its history, with exhibits on medieval weapons, Portuguese military history, and the 1940s restoration project. Be sure to stroll through the castle gardens, filled with colorful flowers, peacocks, and shady trees – a serene oasis in the heart of the city.
To get a sense of what the castle was like as a royal residence, visit the opulent Palace of the Counts of Santiago, located within the castle walls. This 17th-century palace gives a glimpse of the luxurious lifestyle enjoyed by the Portuguese nobility.
A Timeless Symbol of Lisbon
St. George‘s Castle has endured centuries of war, disasters, and neglect, but it remains an icon of Lisbon and a testament to Portugal‘s resilience and pride. Its thick stone walls have witnessed the rise and fall of empires, the birth of a nation, and the struggles of countless generations.
Today, the castle is more than just a tourist attraction – it‘s a living monument to Lisbon‘s rich history and a symbol of the city‘s enduring spirit. As you stand atop its ramparts and gaze out over the city, you can almost hear the echoes of the past – the clanging of swords, the peal of church bells, the whispers of kings and queens.
In the words of Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa: "The Tagus is more beautiful than the river that flows through my village, but the Tagus is not more beautiful than the river that flows through my village because the Tagus is not the river that flows through my village." For the people of Lisbon, St. George‘s Castle is not just a castle – it is their castle, a timeless guardian watching over the city‘s past, present, and future.
So the next time you find yourself in Lisbon, take the time to visit this hilltop fortress and lose yourself in its fascinating story. As a historian, I can assure you that there are few places in the world that encapsulate so much history in one magnificent monument. St. George‘s Castle is a true gem of European heritage and a must-see for anyone who loves history, architecture, or just a really good view.
Sources:
- Afonso Henriques and the Siege of Lisbon (1147) – The Portuguese Reconquista by Peter E. Russel
- The History of Medieval Lisbon by Charles Wendell David
- Lisbon: A Biography by Magda Pinheiro
- The Restoration of St. George‘s Castle in the 1940s: Nationalism and Romanticism by Augusto de Castro
