Castle of Montalvão
Castle in Portalegre District, Portugal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Castle of Montalvão (Portuguese: Castelo de Montalvão) is a medieval castle in the civil parish of Montalvão, municipality of Nisa, in the Portuguese district of Portalegre.
| Castle of Montalvão | |
|---|---|
Castelo de Montalvão | |
| Portalegre, Alto Alentejo, Alentejo in Portugal | |
| |
| Site information | |
| Type | Castle |
| Owner | Portuguese Republic |
Open to the public | Public |
| Location | |
| Location of the castle within the municipality of Nisa | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 39°35′44.63″N 7°31′34.69″W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 12th century |
History
Montalvão was an important settlement in the Alto Alentejo during the first years of the Portuguese monarchy.[1] The need to protect its frontier required that a populational presence was needed to mark the territory, and project a Christian control of the region.[1] The locale, therefore, was under the control of the Command of the Order of Christ, and which originated the castle.[1]
Its construction occurred during the reign of King D. Dinis, but there is evidence that the zone may have had a human presence prior to its formal occupation.[1] The early medieval fortress was not likely a large project, but a simple plan of necessity carried out during the 16th century.[1]
In the 12th century, there already existed defensive structures, which were part of the famous Tagus Line of defenses.[2]
Between 1279 and 1325, the castle was constructed or reconstructed, during the reign of King D. Dinis.[1][2]
Around 1509, Duarte d' Armas sketched the layout of the fortification, highlighting a long curtain of walls, without any tower, and accessible by a single gate.[1][2]
On 22 November 1512, a foral (charter) was issued by King D. Manuel I.[2]
During the 17th century, the main accessway was reconstructed, and in 1640, during the sequence of the Independence War, the castle fell along the main defensive line.[1][2] It obtained its classical look, with rectangular lintel between pilasters supporting an architrave.[1]
In 1834, the municipality of Montalvão was extinguished.[2]
On 1 June 2012, the fortification was included in its respective Special Protection Zone (in announcement 12 203/2012, Diário da República, Série II, 107), classifying the structure as a Monumento de Interesse Público (Monument of Public Interest).[2]
Architecture
The castle is situated in an isolated urban area, on top of a hill, near the Church of Montalvão.[2]
Its enclosure is dominated by an enormous concrete tower/bunker used for the collection of water. There are vestiges of the wall foundations, towers and cisterns of the medieval castle, survived by some walls, composed of shale.[2] The interior of the fortification is marked by a rectangular, sepulchral ark of stone with one of the faces sculpted with vegetal elements and the cross of Christ in its centre.[2]