After visiting the Cathedral I further walked up the hill and finally reached the Castle of Silves. It was built as a fortress by the Romans and later served as the seat of the emirate during the Moorish domination.
Not much had remained of the magnificent Moorish palaces and yet a visit to the complex is well worth it. The outer walls and fortification towers were extensively restored at the beginning of the twentieth century. A circular path leads along the outer wall and offers a spectacular view towards the interior of the castle with its beautiful gardens, but also far beyond over the atmospheric hinterland.
But see for yourself:
Approaching the fortification.
The outer walls shine in the late afternoon sun.
The mighty bronze statue of King Dom Sancho guards the main entrance to the castle. During the Portuguese Reconquista, Dom Sancho was the first to succeed in reconquering Silves. But only to lose it again to the Kings of Al-Andalus a short time after.
"You shall not pass!"
I nevertheless did and enjoyed the tour along the outer walls.
Evening mood is coming up over the country.
Thanks for watching and I hope to see you back next time when I will close this chapter of my travel book.
Shaka
All photos recorded by myself with an iPhone 6S. All rights reserved.