Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
São Jorge Castle:
This much-renovated structure was first built by the Moors in
the 11th century. After Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques (whose statue stands on the
view terrace), beat the Moors in the 12th century, the castle began its three-century-long
stint as a royal residence. (The sloping walls—typical of castles from this period—were
designed to withstand 14th-century cannonballs.) In the 16th century, the kings moved to
their palace on Praça do Comércio—where they lived until the 1755 earthquake—and this
castle fell into ruins. What you see today was mostly rebuilt by the dictator Salazar in the
As you explore the castle's inner sanctum, imagine it lined with simple wooden huts.
The imposing part of the castle is the exterior. The builders' strategy was to focus on
making the castle appear so formidable that its very existence was enough to discourage
any attack. If you know where to look, you can still see stones laid by ancient Romans,
Visigoths, and Moors. The Portuguese made the most substantial contribution, with a wall
reaching all the way to the river to withstand anticipated Spanish attacks. The humble mu-
seum shows off a few Moorish tiles and some old pottery.
• Leave the castle. Across the ramp from the castle entrance (20 yards ahead, on the left)
is a tidy little castle district with cute shops and cafés, worth a wander for its peaceful
lanes and a chance to enjoy the Manueline architecture. Notice how the tiny balconies
are limited to “one-and-a-half hands” in width. A strictly enforced health initiative kept
the town open and well-ventilated. When you finally leave the castle complex grounds (at
the little statue of St. George), jog to the left 50 yards past the gate, turn right on Travessa
do Chão da Feira, and follow the striped lane downhill through...
LargodoContadorMor:
This small, car-clogged square with a Parisian ambien-
ce has two handy outdoor restaurants, with grilled sardines as their specialty.
Pombal's Lisbon
In 1750, lazy King José I (r. 1750-1777) turned the government over to a minor noble,
the Marquês de Pombal (1699-1782). Talented, ambitious, and handsome, Pombal
was praised as a reformer, but reviled for his ruthless tactics. Having learned mod-
ern ways as the ambassador to Britain, he battled Church repression and promoted the
democratic ideals of the Enlightenment, but enforced his policies with arrests, torture,
and executions. He expelled the Jesuits to keep them from monopolizing the education
system, put the bishop of Coimbra in prison, and broke off relations with the pope.
When the earthquake of 1755 leveled the city, within a month Pombal had kicked off
major rebuilding in much of today's historic downtown—featuring a grid plan for the
