Castle of Almeida: A Historic Fortress in Portugal

Visitor Information

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Country: Portugal

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

The Castle of Almeida is located in the municipality of Almeida, situated in modern Portugal near the border with Spain. The site’s strategic position on the frontier has made it a key military location since prehistoric times. Originally, the area was occupied by a castro—a type of fortified settlement—before undergoing successive control by Romans, Suevi, Visigoths, and later Moors. The first known medieval castle was constructed by Moorish inhabitants, who called the settlement Talmeyda, meaning “table” in Arabic, reflecting the flat topography on which it stood.

During the 11th and 12th centuries, the Castle of Almeida lay at the center of competing claims between the Kingdom of León, the Moors, and the nascent Portuguese kingdom. This period of contest ended in 1190 when Portuguese forces under Pio Guterres recaptured the territory from Muslim rule, firmly reestablishing Christian control. By the early 13th century, documents from 1217 describe Almeida as a frontier village under León’s dominion, guarding the important Côa valley.

In 1296, King Dinis of Portugal ordered the rebuilding of the castle and surrounding walls to strengthen frontier defenses. This work was further developed under King Ferdinand in 1369. By the late 13th century, the castle was integrated into the Linha do Tejo, a network of defensive positions along the Tagus River. During the Portuguese succession crisis of 1383–1385, the castle initially remained under Castilian allegiance, but in 1386 it was seized by King John I of Portugal, confirming Portuguese sovereignty.

King Manuel I, reigning from 1495 to 1521, initiated significant enhancements to the castle’s fortifications. These were completed in 1508 under architect Mateus Fernandes. The fortress was also recorded in the early 16th-century Book of Fortresses by Duarte D’Armas, documenting its strategic and architectural importance.

With the Restoration War of 1640, which aimed to free Portugal from Spanish rule, the medieval castle was incorporated into an advanced star-shaped fortress. This new design, influenced by the French military engineer Vauban and realized by architects including David Álvares, created a modern defensive system completed around 1641 to better withstand artillery sieges.

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the fortress saw frequent military activity. It successfully fended off Spanish assaults during the Restoration Wars and served as a military base during the War of Spanish Succession (1702–1714). The fortress endured accidental explosions in 1695 and 1736, causing damage and leading to structural changes. During the Seven Years’ War, Spanish troops captured Almeida in 1762, but it was returned to Portuguese control in 1763.

In the early 19th century, during the Napoleonic Wars, Almeida was occupied by French forces. Initially taken without resistance in 1807, it was reoccupied by French troops in 1808. In 1810, as part of the Peninsular War, the fortress endured a heavy bombardment by André Masséna’s army. On 26 August 1810, a catastrophic explosion in the powder magazine of the medieval castle destroyed much of the fortress and resulted in approximately 600 defender deaths, forcing its surrender. The French later demolished the fortress in 1811 to prevent its reuse by allied forces.

The fortress again played a role in the Liberal Wars between 1828 and 1834, shifting control between Miguelist and Liberal factions until peace was established in 1834. In the late 19th century, parts of the fortifications were examined and underwent partial repairs. However, in 1895, the site was officially declassified as a military fortification.

In the 20th century, the Castle of Almeida transitioned from a military stronghold to a site dedicated to cultural and historical preservation. Recognized as a National Monument since 1928, it housed a military museum from 1980 and later the Centre for Studies into Military Architecture, reflecting its enduring importance in Portuguese heritage.

Remains

The present fortress of Almeida is built on the western outskirts of the village, perched at 763 meters above the River Côa valley. It occupies a prominent, isolated position overlooking the Castela-León plateau. The current layout consists of a star-shaped fortress with an irregular hexagonal core forming a twelve-pointed star. This design features six polygonal bastions of varying sizes named São Francisco, São João de Deus, Santa Bárbara, Nossa Senhora das Brotas (also called do Trem), Santo António, and São Pedro. These bastions are linked by curtain walls that create a perimeter nearly 2.4 kilometers long.

Defending the fortress are six triangular ravelins, three on the north and three on the south sides. The northern ravelins are built with flat masonry parapets capped by stone escarpments and feature cylindrical watchtowers with dome-shaped roofs at each angled corner. In contrast, the southern ravelins also have flat masonry parapets, but these are topped with earth ramparts. These outworks include gently sloping platforms designed for cannon and mortar deployment.

The bastion of São João de Deus contains substantial bunkers integrated within its interior, providing protected shelter spaces. A moat encircles the fortress, accompanied by a road with a covered terrace running along the entire perimeter, facilitating movement and defense.

Access to the fortress is through the main gate located on the southeast curtain wall, situated between the Santo António, São Pedro, and São Francisco bastions. This entrance complex consists of two extended tunnel gateways separated by a bridge crossing the dry moat. The outer gateway is known as Porta da Muralha, while the inner tunnel is called Porta São Francisco. The gatehouse facade boasts an elegant arched entry flanked by double Doric columns topped by a semi-circular pediment, above which a heraldic crest is prominently displayed.

Within the fortress and its vicinity, several notable buildings remain. The infantry barracks of Terreiro das Freiras stand adjacent to the Cruz gate. The Church and Hospital of Misericórdia of Almeida highlight the site’s earlier religious and charitable functions. Close to the bastion of São João de Deus, the Pousada de Nossa Senhora das Neves continues to mark the area. The former artillery train building, known as Trem de Artilharia or Picadeiro Real, is situated on the embankment of one bastion.

Archaeological work has uncovered remains of the medieval castle walls and the original moat that once encircled the older fortress. These ruins lie mostly covered in vegetation and are accessible today only from the military square, with foundations exposed on an elevated platform for visitors. The medieval castle remains suffered significant destruction during the 1810 explosion.

Surrounding the main fortress, additional defensive structures such as trenches, redoubts, and bomb-proof barracks were built or proposed in the 17th and 18th centuries. Although some intended works were never completed, these efforts reflect the continuous adaptation of the site to the evolving demands of military technology.

Over time, the fortress endured serious damage caused by explosions, including those in 1695, 1736, and particularly the devastating blast in 1810 that destroyed large portions of the medieval castle and adjacent fortifications. Despite this, much of the outer fortress structure survives in remarkable condition, preserving the complex military engineering of the early modern period.