Castle of the Moors (Castelo dos Mouros)

Positioned on a high above Sintra in Portugal overlooking the Tagus estuary and the west coast is a fantastic castle.

You can take the bus up, but better is the stiff climb through the trees of the Quinta Sasseni, about 15minutes from the top the castle appear above you

This is a popular area for rock climbers as well

The view directly down to the national palace shows how far we climbed

The Moors built the fort in the tenth century in a col between two hill tops.

The view down the way we ascended.

The opposite hilltop with Pena palace beyond

The castle was "invaded" by King Sigurd I of Norway in 1109

It actually fell to the Portuguese following the conquest of Lisbon in 1147.

During the 12/13th centuries the fortifications were improved

While the structure was well fortified by 1383 most of the population was moving down to Sintra

The castle was badly damaged in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake

It was rebuilt by King Fernando II at the same time as Pena palace was constructed.

Another view of Pena.