Castle of Loulé

Parish of São Clemente

Background

The primitive human occupation of the site of Loulé dates back to prehistoric times, according to archaeological evidence.

During ancient times, contact between the peoples of the region and Phoenician and Carthaginian navigators intensified, and they founded the first trading posts on the municipality's seafront (Carteia), increasing fishing and commercial activity, in addition to prospecting for metals. From the period of the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, we have evidence of a votive altar reused in the tower of the main church.

From the 8th century onwards, with the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, Al'-Ulyã was formed, referred to on the eve of the Christian À época da Reconquest in the chronicles of Ibn Saíde and Abd Aluhaid as a small, fortified and prosperous almedina belonging to the Kingdom of Niebla, under the command of the Taifa Ibn Mafom. Of this Almohad structure, we have only the Albarrã tower, made of rammed earth (Torre da Vela).

The medieval castle

In 1249, on Saint Clement's Day, the forces of Afonso III of Portugal (1248-1279) conquered the town with the help of the knights of the Order of Santiago, under the command of Master D.Paio Peres Correia. Elevated to the status of municipal seat by the charter of 1266, Denis of Portugal donated the town and its domains to the Order of Santiago (1280), later providing it with a large fair lasting fifteen days in September (1291).

In the context of the crisis of 1383-1385, the town also faced difficulties, according to the testimony of the Chief Chamberlain João Afonso, who said that Loulé was quite depopulated, its castle was devoid of walls and there were many hovels inside (Actas de Vereação, 1385). It also reports that news was circulating in the Municipality that Castilian forces were preparing to enter Portugal. Given the seriousness of the information and to protect themselves from a possible attack, the Council decided to repair the tower that topped the Porta de Faro and raise the walls and battlements on the southern flank of the town's enclosure. Sensitive to this state of affairs, John I of Portugal (1385-1433) granted special privileges to the population of the town's territory to live inside the enclosure and donated the shack in front of the Church of São Clemente for the construction of a churchyard.

With the Portuguese Discoveries, the Algarve region experienced a new surge of economic growth, from which Loulé also benefited, exporting wine, olive oil, fruit, dried fish and salt. Thanks to these resources, from 1422 onwards, the castle walls were rebuilt by D.Henrique de Meneses, 1st Count of Loulé.

During the Philippine Dynasty, in the survey of the Algarve's defenses carried out between 1617-1618 by the Neapolitan military engineer and architect Alexandre Massai, Loulé Castle was noted as having most of its rammed earth walls damaged and in ruins (Descripção do Reino do Algarve..., 1621).

From the Restoration War to the present day

After the Restoration of Independence, due to the development of artillery, the Castle lost its defensive value. Thus, urban growth gradually absorbed the old walls, a process that accelerated after the damage caused by the earthquake of 1755, which destroyed most of the town. The castle towers collapsed, as did large sections of the wall. The reconstruction of the urban fabric favored the residential sectors, where large houses and palaces began to stand out.

In the 19th century, the areas adjacent to the Castle walls were divided into lots and occupied for residential and commercial purposes, some sections of which were demolished.

The remains of the castle were listed as a National Monument by Decree published on June 28, 1924.

After conservation and restoration work carried out in the 20th century, the interior of the castle is used as an archaeological museum and municipal library.

Architecture

The castle stands at one of the vertices of the medieval city wall. This wall defined a perimeter with an area of ​​approximately five hectares, considered extensive for the time, and which can be divided into two main areas:

• - the Alcáçova (Kasbah), an eminently military space; and
• - the Medina, essentially civil and administrative.

The remains of this complex consist of three towers, one of which is a barrarã, defining one of the sections of the wall to the northeast, which would have functioned as the limit of the citadel. On a lower level, the so-called Rua da Barbacã suggests that this type of structure would have been built here, parallel to the walls, perhaps disappearing for the opening of the street.

A quadrangular tower remains from the original Medina, originally the minaret of the Muslim mosque, adapted after Christianization as the bell tower of the Church of San Clemente.