Marvão - a Medieval Village in the Sky

One of the reasons we stayed in this area for a few days, was to see “one of the most beautiful fortified villages in Portugal”.

On a foggy and cool Sunday morning, we drove only 6 km on a winding country road to our destination, through a beautiful forested area, past the ruins of old farmhouses and saw farmers shaking trees to catch ripe olives into nets on the ground. Our goal was to visit the walled village of Marvão, set on a great granite escarpment with sweeping views across the vast plains of the Alentejo region. This village, we were told, is one of the prettiest places in the whole of southern Europe.

Marvão has been described as “an eagle’s nest hidden away in the hills” and as we rounded a corner and saw the town in the sky, we realized why.
It was perched, somewhat precariously, on the very top of a craggy mountain. The 865-metre (2,838’) drive up to Marvão, the highest village in Portugal, began near a tiny village called Portagem.

As we neared the town, we were amazed at how well-kept the 13th-century walls were. We could not see how any enemies could have climbed up that rocky mountain unseen, and then attempt to climb the walls into the village? Not possible, to these 21st century citizens.

The town has a population of less than one thousand people today, but from what we have read, ‘the village was of immense importance in the Middle Ages and a vital defensive bastion during the frequent skirmishes with neighbouring Spain, when it proved mostly impregnable”.

The access to the village is through a narrow medieval archway, close to a curiously-shaped Moorish-looking building (the Jerusalem chapel).

Settled since prehistoric times, Marvão was founded in the 9th century by Ibn-Marúan, a muladi (Iberian who converted to Islam) who features prominently in Al Mossassa, Marvão’s annual Islamic festival held every October. Now, that looks like it would be fun to attend.

Stone-paved streets wind their way through white-washed, flower-decked houses featuring the beautiful wrought-iron balconies. Budgies and parrots sang in cages hung on the walls of the houses. Laundry hung from pull-out laundry lines high above. Fountains, gardens and orchards are tucked into every corner. It is a lovely, white town overlooking olive and chestnut groves and a beautiful countryside.

With an ancient interior that’s hardly been touched for hundreds of years, the parish church has a beautiful low belfry with a tiny mosque-like dome on the top. A small museum holding old items donated by families living in Marvao was housed in the church.

The main focus of this delightful village is the old castle which seems to rise from the living rock on which it is built. Sitting on a pedestal of granite, its walls are home to countless kestrels. Climbing to the top of the keep provides a breathtaking 360-degree view over Portugal and Spain - southwards lies the Serra de São Mamede and the lovely city of Estremoz, while to the north loom the mountains of Serra da Estrela (Star Mountain) with Castelo de Vide to the north-west and finally Spain to the north-east.

We thought that we were getting a little castled-out, but being in a living castle (not a ruin) was exciting.Read more