Castle of Ródão

The Castle of Ródão (Portuguese: Castelo de Ródão) is a medieval castle located in the civil parish of Vila Velha de Ródão, in the municipality of Vila Velha de Ródão, Portuguese Castelo Branco.

Legend suggests that Visigoth Wamba (672-680) erected a castle on this site sometime during the 7th century, but archaeological excavations don't confirm this perspective.

The construction of the current structure and watchtower was erected between 11th and 12th century, likely over the pre-existing castro by the initiative of the Knights Templar: the tower erected could have been either a watchtower or keep tower. In 1199, the Herdade da Açafa was donated by King D. Sancho to the Templars. By 1505, circling walls had already been greatly destroyed.

By the middle of the 18th century, the castle was used as an artillery spot for the protection of the Tagus passage. The battlements and artillery posts were constructed on the flank overlooking the Tagus, in the area referred to as Batarias.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the castle was reconstructed, during the preparation for the first French invasion of the peninsula, during the Napoleonic Wars, through the initiative of the Marques de Alorna.

In August 1999, the municipal council of Castel Branco, IPPAR and IPA determined to recuperat the Castle of King Vamba and its surrounding area, including walls.

Between 2000 and 2001, the municipal council and the Associação de Altos Estudos do Tejo (Tagus Higher Studies Association) undertook archeological surveys in the castle, under the direction of Dr. Fernando Branco (from the University of Évora).

By June 2004, there was a new project by the municipal council of Vila Velha de Ródão, that included the consolidation and rehabilitation of the tower and walls, by the DREMC. In the preceding years (from 2004 to 2006) the Direcção Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais ( General-Directorate for Buildings and National Monuments) began work to recuperate the tower and walls that included the construction of an interior staircase and floor in the tower, to act as viewpoint, and arrangements to the exterior. Dr. Pilar Reis accompanied and excavated the area around the tower and interior courtyard in 2006.

Text adapted from “Castle of Ródão” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Castle of Ródão ranks #6,699 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #163 of the 200 mapped in Portugal. Founded c. 1100, it is older than 87% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 317 atlas entries founded in the 11th century. 3 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Tomar, 62 km away. See how Portugal compares in the castle statistics.

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