Castle of São Jorge

So from Sta Luzia square we wandered up to the castle only to find it closed....it should have been open till 9 pm. There is a strike. Oh well. Steeves says it isn't that great, but there were a couple of museums in there.

the first settlements date back to 7th century BC, there are archeological sites here, but because of the strike we never got in.

The castle dates to the 11th century when the Moors built it to house their army and a safe haven for the elites. There is a castle town just below where you would pay to go into the castle. It is behind the walls so is "fortified', back then there were crests above the doors indicating who you were, today it is more working class.

Alfonso Henrique took the castle from the moors in 1147 (the tiles we saw at the earlier square). after that Portugals royalty lived here....until 16th century the kings moved to their palace on Praca do Comercio and this castle became a military garrison. .After the 1755 quake, I believe the royalty fled to Belam.

Peacocks are in the garden and on the grounds and we saw them. This would be a reminder of Portuguese greatness. trophies from the East where portugeuse traders had been.

the little alcove once you get into the museum has a statue of St George the dragon slayer. He came from Turkey and was known for fighting valiantly (he's often pot rayed slaying a dragon) When the Christian noble Afonso Henrique called for help to eliminate the Moors from his newly founded country of Portugal, the Crusaders who helped him prayed to St George and won.Les mer