Castle of Marvao
★★★★☆
Attribution: By Elemaki - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11836977
During the early Middle Ages, the Swabians, Visigoths and eventually the Umayyad Arabs began to settle in the area. The construction of the Castle of Marvao was attributed to 8th century Islamic knight, Ibn Marwan.
By the beginning of the 10th century, the settlement was designated Amaia de Ibn Maruan or, alternately, the fortress of Amaia. Christian forces loyal to King D. Afonso I (1112-1185) conquered the region and town from Moorish forces sometime between 1160 and 1166.
The medieval castle post-dates the year 1299, and features numerous characteristic features of a crusader-era castle. These include a tall central keep with raised entrance on the first floor; a series of lower, outlying turrets (some semi-circular); high-placed arrow-slits; and open spaces to aid the sheltering and assembly of villagers and troops.
By the beginning of the 10th century, the settlement was designated Amaia de Ibn Maruan or, alternately, the fortress of Amaia. Christian forces loyal to King D. Afonso I (1112-1185) conquered the region and town from Moorish forces sometime between 1160 and 1166.
The medieval castle post-dates the year 1299, and features numerous characteristic features of a crusader-era castle. These include a tall central keep with raised entrance on the first floor; a series of lower, outlying turrets (some semi-circular); high-placed arrow-slits; and open spaces to aid the sheltering and assembly of villagers and troops.
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Reviews and impressions
Sean Callanan
Visited marvao in 2018 while on a castle tour of Spain and Portugal It is absolutely amazing and so well preserved, very interesting battlements and location, off the beaten track a bit so doesn't get the recognition it deserves I stayed in the Dom manval hotel in the castle.