Arraiolos

Castle • Arraiolos, Évora

High on Monte de São Pedro, north of the town, Arraiolos Castle preserves the memory of the old walled settlement. Commissioned by King Dinis in the early 14th century, it was based on a contract signed in 1305 between the king, the mayor, the judges and the municipal council, to build the defensive enclosure. Construction began in 1306, and the complex includes the wall of the former settlement and the Paços dos Alcaides. Its elliptical form follows the gentle relief of the hill, creating a rare silhouette in the Alentejo landscape. Among the elements still recognisable are the Keep, the Gate of Santarém and, inside, the former Church of Salvador, from the 16th century. Classified as a National Monument since 1910, the castle also recalls Nuno Álvares Pereira, to whom King João I donated it in 1387.