SINTRA, Portugal — The Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros) stands prominently on a hilltop above the town of Sintra. This medieval fortress, with its stone walls snaking along the ridgeline, offers a dramatic silhouette against the sky and provides a commanding view of the surrounding landscape.
Photograph by David Coleman. The Castelo dos Mouros, or Moorish Castle, is a medieval fortification perched atop one of the highest hills in the Sintra Mountains. Originally constructed during the 8th and 9th centuries by the Moors, this strategic stronghold played a crucial role in the defense of the region. The castle's walls, crafted from local granite, follow the natural contours of the hilltop, creating a striking silhouette visible for miles around. Extensive restoration work in the 19th century, commissioned by King Ferdinand II, helped preserve much of the structure we see today. From this vantage point, the castle's position demonstrates its military significance, offering unobstructed views of the surrounding territory, including the town of Sintra below, the distant Atlantic coastline, and on clear days, Lisbon to the southeast. The fortress stands as a testament to the region's rich history, from Moorish rule through the Christian Reconquista and beyond. Today, it forms part of the Sintra Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and serves as a popular tourist attraction, offering visitors both historical insights and breathtaking panoramic views of the Sintra region.
Size: 7360px × 4912px
Location: Sintra Palace, Sintra, Lisbon, Portugal
Photo credit: © David Coleman | Have Camera Will Travel / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 19th, afonso, architecture, atlantic, atmosphere, attraction, bird, castelo, castle, century, charm, cork, cultural, da, day, de, development, dos, experience, eye, fairy, features, ferdinand, foggy, fortifications, fortress, geographical, golden, henriques, heritage, hiking, hilltop, history, hour, ii, influence, islamic, king, lisbon, maria, medieval, miguel, moorish, mornings, mouros, national, native, natural, nature, oak, occupation, ocean, palace, palácio, panoramic, park, pena, photography, point, portugal, portuguese, renovations, restoration, romantic, ruins, santa, serra, setting, silhouette, sintra, sintra-cascais, site, sites, skyline, stone, strategic, sunset, tale, top, tourism, tourist, town, trails, trees, trips, unesco, vantage, vegetation, view, views, vila, visitor, walks, world, ã
