The Moorish citadel
Before 1147 this was the alcáçova, the fortified heart of Muslim Lisbon, until Afonso Henriques took the city with the help of crusaders.
Urban Tales › Lisbon › São Jorge Castle
São Jorge Castle: the history, and the hilltop where kings once lived
From the highest hill in the old city, the castle looks over Alfama, the Baixa and the Tagus. Here's what you're looking at, and what to listen for when you get there.
Hill settledIron Age
Moorish citadeluntil 1147
Royal palaceuntil the 1500s
Restored1930s–40s
Hear the São Jorge Castle story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
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A palace on the hill
The kings of Portugal lived here until the early 16th century, when Manuel I moved down to a new palace by the river.
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Rebuilt in the 20th century
Much of what you see was reconstructed in the 1930s and 40s, after centuries as barracks, prison and arsenal.
TipWalk the battlements at sunset for the best view in Lisbon, and look for the excavated Moorish quarter inside the walls. With Urban Tales running, the castle's story plays as you climb up through Alfama.
Nearby landmarks
São Jorge Castle: common questions
How old is São Jorge Castle?
The hill has been fortified since at least the Iron Age; the walls you see grew from the Moorish citadel and were heavily restored in the 1930s and 40s.
Did kings live in São Jorge Castle?
Yes, it was a royal residence from the 13th century until the early 16th century.
When was Lisbon taken from the Moors?
In 1147, when Afonso Henriques captured the city with the help of crusaders on their way to the Holy Land.