Alter do Chao Castle in the Alentejo of Portugal
One of the trips of the last times of the best memories I have is the car route what did I do for the Alentejo region, in Portugal.
Beautiful villages and castles, many medieval castles, is one of the characteristics of a journey through the Alentejo.
And among these castles is the one of Alter do Chao, a small town that you find in the northern and innermost part of this Portuguese region that has a large area.
Panoramic view of Alter do Chao from the wall of its medieval castle
Facing what happens in others villages in the interior of Alentejo in which the castles are shown on the highest part of a hill on which the village extends, as Marvao or Castelo de Vide, in Alter do Chao It is located in the same urban center, and in a plain.
Near another enclave with castle, Alter Pedroso, human settlements in that area dates back to pre-Roman times. He even thinks that during the Roman occupation there should have been a fortification in the area.
It is known from the Arabs that during the 10th century they built their own fortification.
Alter do Chao Castle in the Alentejo of Portugal
But the current castle of Alter do Chao that you can visit goes back to 1249, and once the king Alfonso II He had ordered the repopulation of the area after freeing it from Muslim occupation.
Now, the current structure of the castle is due to Peter I, during whose reign, in 1375, a new reconstruction of the same was carried out.
Currently, when you get to Alter do Chao you will find the castle in front of the town's main square, where another possible visit is also located, the Alamo House. a 17th-century building that was dedicated to agricultural activities, and now houses a local art museum.
Alter do Chao Castle in the Alentejo of Portugal
He castle of Alter do Chao It is not large and has been recently restored, so it is in perfect condition for your visit.
Square, it has a Gothic style, with granite wall and the arrangement of six towers.
During your castle visit, the first thing you will see is a stay dedicated to the museum area with information on its history and the area.
Alter do Chao Castle in the Alentejo of Portugal
Then you can climb to the top of the wall and travel the entire perimeter of it, going up if you wish to some of the castle towers.
On your walk through the wall you will have different perspectives of Alter do Chao, from the old quarter with its narrow streets with houses of bright white facades and red roofs, to the central square with the aforementionedAlamo House in preferential place and the church.
Views of Alter do Chao from the castle, in Alentejo de Porgugal
The visiting hours of the castle of Alter do Chao they are, in summer, from 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm, and in winter, the same time in the morning and in the afternoon from 2 pm to 5.30 pm. The castle closes on Tuesdays.
