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CASTELO DE
SILVES |
Construído pelos árabes
Almorávidas no século XI, o Castelo de Silves é hoje um local de
passeio e lazer, que relembra a grandiosidade da arte muçulmana e
reflecte o esplendor que a civilização islâmica alcançou no
Algarve.
Imponente e admirável, é o espaço ideal para desfrutar de uma
visita ao passado português e apreciar, a partir do miradouro mais
bonito de Silves, a vista fabulosa sobre a cidade, o campo e o rio
Arade. Considerado monumento nacional desde 1910, o Castelo de
Silves é hoje o maior, mais importante e melhor conservado do
Algarve.
Este impressionante castelo de paredes vermelhas – construído em
grés vermelho da região e taipa -, situado no cimo da colina e
rodeado por uma cortina de muralhas e onze torreões, parece
funcionar como uma máquina do tempo que transporta os visitantes
para a fortaleza militar que foi outrora. |
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A gigantesca porta principal, com acesso
através da Medina, é resguardada por duas torres e protegida pela
casa do guarda que, apesar de inoperacional, parece vigiar os
visitantes que entram na fortaleza. Cavada na muralha a norte, um
postigo apelidado de “porta da traição” chama a atenção dos mais
curiosos, não só pelo nome, mas porque tem acesso directo ao
exterior.
No recinto interior destacam-se o repousante jardim e os depósitos
de alimentos subterrâneos, em tempos silos árabes, com entrada por
pequenas aberturas ao nível do solo. A Cisterna da Moura, com cerca
de 10 metros de altura e quatro abóbadas assentes em colunas, e a
Cisterna dos Cães, um poço com 60 metros de profundidade, fazem
lembrar as histórias das Mil e Uma Noites. Diz a lenda que o
visitante atento consegue ouvir o lamento da moura encantada que
chora pelo seu amado no fundo do poço onde se suicidou.
Uma visita a não perder, repleta de fragmentos de história e
vestígios de presença árabe, que permitem ao visitante imaginar
como seria a vida no castelo há dez séculos atrás. |
Silves Castle stands majestically on a hill overlooking the town of
Silves in the Algarve region of Portugal.
In the year of 1060, Fernando I, King of Leon and Castile seized
this magnificent castle built from red sandstone blocks and taipa;
a Moorish mixture of mud and sandstone that hardens out like stone
and held it for a short time. It was later retaken by the
Moors.
In 1189, with the help of foreign forces from England, Germany and
a contingent of Flemish crusaders, Portuguese forces, attacked the
town destroying everything outside of the town’s walls. It took the
combined armies six weeks before the Moors surrendered, after an
agreement was reached with the Portuguese King Sancho.
The Moors along with all their belongings were allowed to leave
unharmed. After leaving the safety of Silves castle with the
knowledge that their passage to safety was assured, a group of
mercenary Crusaders violated the agreement struck with the King of
Portugal and every last man was slaughtered. On top of this
atrocity the town was ransacked. |
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In 1190, a Moorish force lead by Yacub
Ben Yussuf tried in vain to retake the castle. His attempts were
thwarted due to the town being stoutly defended by Christian forces
with the help of Richard the Lionheart. A more successful attempt
was made a year later.
The rollercoaster ride for ownership of the castle at Silves was
again brought to the fore when it was retaken by Sancho I, in 1198
with the help of German Crusaders. This time around Sancho was
unable to keep the castle from falling into enemy hands and gave
the order for it to be dismantled. 1242, Silves was finally
conquered by the Master of the Order of Santiago; Don Paio Peres
Correia, during the reign of Alfonso III, who ordered it to be
restored. It is his statue that can bee seen just outside the
castles gate. |
Twice during the 1700’s the
Algarve was rocked by heavy earthquakes which seriously damaged the
castle. The first time was in 1722 and the second time was 1755. It
was not until the start of the Second World War in 1940, which
Portugal played no part in that the castle was restored.
Silves castle was constructed with eleven square towers, two of
which are barbicans joined to the ramparts by a supporting arch
that holds up the walk way. There were two entrances to the castle
grounds; the main gate defended by two towers and a so-called
'traitors-gate'.
During the 14th and 15th century, four of the towers which were
modified at the time, have gothic doorways, vaulted halls and
stones bearing the marks of medieval masons.
Inside the castles walls, nothing remains of the original Moorish
buildings but two cisterns; a small one, 60 meters deep of Roman
origin, and a larger one. The larger one is called 'El Moura
Encantada', after a legend that says you can hear a Moorish
princess mourning her beloved at this well where he committed
suicide. |
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A cache:
Este multi-cache simples vai levá-lo a duas perspectivas diferentes
do castelo.
Terão de se deslocar à entrada do castelo, na coordenada inicial e
observar a estátua de D. Sancho I. Na sua mão esquerda está um
pergaminho com a seguinte inscrição:
“ Sancius de gratia portugallis,
silvis et Algarbii rex 1???”.
Os pontos de interrogação correspondem aos três últimos algarismos
de uma data que terão de anotar e acrescentar a esta coordenada
falsa para encontrar a coordenada final.
Final:
N 37º 11.(375 + ???) W 008º 26.(052 + ???) |
The cache
This simple multi-cache will take you to two different views of the
castle.
You will have to go to the entrance of the castle, at the given
coordinates and observe the statue of D. Sancho I. In his left hand
is a parchment with the following inscription:
"Sancius gratia of Portugal,
Silva et Algarbii rex 1???".
The question marks are the last three digits of a date that will
need to write down and add to this false coordinate to find the
final.
Final coordinate:
N 37º 11.(375 + ???) W 008º 26.(052 + ???) |
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