• Skip to content
  • Home
  • Destinations
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
  • Germany
    • Baden-Württemberg
    • Bavaria
    • Brandenburg
    • Berlin
    • Bremen
    • Hamburg
    • Hesse
    • Lower Saxony
    • Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
    • North Rhine-Westphalia
    • Rhineland-Palatinate
    • Saxony
    • Saxony-Anhalt
    • Schleswig-Holstein
    • Thuringia
  • Home
  • Topic
    • Breweries, beer, beer tours
    • Wine, wine tasting, wine hikes
    • Hiking in Germany
    • UNESCO Sites in Germany
    • Christmas markets
    • City passes
    • This and that
  • Deutsch
  • English (UK)
Destinations > Portugal > Lisbon

Castelo de São Jorge – Viewpoint over Lisbon

The Castelo de São Jorge is located high above Lisbon and offers an excellent view over the city. You can visit the fortress and castle ruins daily.

Castelo de São Jorge

Castelo de São Jorge Love at Second Sight?

On our first visit to Lisbon, we were at the entrance to the Castelo, but for various reasons we didn’t go inside. Although the Castelo de São Jorge is one of the main sights of the city, I was sceptical at the time whether the entrance fee was worth the visit.

Admittedly, I also wavered during our revisit to the city. 10,- € per person is not exactly cheap and even with the LisboaCard you don’t get a discount. The waiting time at the ticket office was quite long – so it’s better to buy tickets online in advance.

Would the visit develop into “love at second sight”? I was curious.

Castelo de São Jorge

Castelo de São Jorge through the ages

The entire site is about 6000 m² in size. During excavations, researchers have found Phoenician, Roman and Moorish remains.

The castle that once stood here was built by the Moors. In 1147, Alfonso the Conqueror took it and from then on the rulers used it as a royal castle. The old buildings were modified and extended to accommodate the king, his court and the bishop, as well as the Royal Archives in the Torre do Tombo.

Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Castelo was the place where famous national and international personalities were received, lavish parties were held and kings were acclaimed.

Fensterblick

With the integration of Portugal into the Spanish Crown, in 1580, the Castelo de São Jorge took on a military character. The function of the castle was to house and protect the military forces, and in case of encirclement, the city’s elites who lived in the fortress.

In 1755, the earthquake in the city almost completely destroyed the castle. During the reconstruction, many new buildings were erected on the existing ruins. In the 19th century, the site was used for military purposes.

Castelo de São Jorge

Between 1938 and 1940, major renovations took place throughout the area. In the process, the workers “discovered” the forgotten remains of the castle and the traces of the old Royal Palace. They succeeded in preserving the old constructions and the city made them accessible to the public.

What can you see?

After passing through the entrance, we arrived at a large open space that ends directly on the steep slope above the city. For me, this place was the real highlight of the tour.

Platz im Castelo

What a magnificent view over the city. From up here, you can see the “wild” city very well. The houses are nested and so I could hardly see the narrow streets and alleys of the city. From up here, it looks as if everyone built where there was space and built the way they liked it. I think that makes the city super interesting when you stroll through the narrow streets and look at the different houses.

Blick zur Cristo Statue
Castelo de São Jorge Aussichtspunk
Aussicht über den Tejo

Afterwards, it is recommended to visit the permanent exhibition. Here you can learn about the history of the city and the Castelo de São Jorge. Guided tours are also offered at certain times to provide more detailed information about the complex.

Aussichtspunkt Lissabon
Castelo de São Jorge Aussicht Stadt

What remains of the palace…

There is not much left of the former palace complex. As we wander through the grounds of the fortress, we come across remains of walls everywhere, for example from a former ground floor of a building or what were once storage rooms, kitchens or horse stables.

Castelo de São Jorge

There are remains of ancient buildings and a cistern elsewhere on the large site. In this area, you can still see a small door on the north castle wall. This is called the “Door of Betrayal” and formed the entrance or exit of secret messengers.

At some points in the grounds it is possible to walk along the existing fortress walls. From there, you can look out into the empty courtyards or the surroundings of the complex.

Mauerweg Castelo de São Jorge

Some of the towers of the complex have been preserved to this day: Keep Tower, Wall Tower or Tower of the Royal Archives, Cistern Tower and Saint Lawrence Tower. The Wall Tower has housed a darkroom since 1998, which provides different and detailed views of Lisbon.

The grounds are ideal for a short walk. There are flowers everywhere, a wide variety of trees (cork trees, olive trees…) and peacocks walk past. There are numerous benches for a break.

Pfau

Was the visit worthwhile?

It depends on what you expect. We liked the magnificent view of the city. I was a little disappointed by the remains of the palace complex, but if there is no more, you can’t show more. Maybe an audio guide (available in English) would have explained more, I saw relatively few information boards.

Address:

Costa do Castelo,
1100-178 Lissabon, Portugal

Opening hours:

daily: 9-19 Uhr

Admission fee:

Adults: 10,-€

  • share  
  • tweet 
  • save  1 
  • share 

Related Posts:

  • Aussicht über den Tejo
    5 most beautiful viewpoints in Lisbon
    The viewpoints in Lisbon offer their visitors something very special…
  • 7 Tipps bei Regen in Lissabon
    7 tips for rainy days in Lisbon
    Rain in Lisbon and no desire to sit in the…
  • Food in Lisbon
    From Cherry liqueur to Pudding tartlets - culinary…
    Food in Lisbon - what is typically portuguese and where…

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Impress
  • Privacy Policy
  • Photo credit
  • About us

Lisbon
  • 7 Tipps bei Regen in Lissabon
    7 tips for rainy days in Lisbon
  • Aussicht über den Tejo
    5 most beautiful viewpoints in Lisbon
  • modern gestaltete Wandfliesen, 7 Tipps bei Regen in Lissabon
    The best 8 museums in Lisbon
  • Kloster in Lissabon
    UNESCO World Heritage Site: Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
  • Padrão dos Descobrimentos
    Padrão dos Descobrimentos – Viewpoint and Monument
  • Museu Nacional do Azulejo
    Museu Nacional do Azulejo – Portuguese ceramic tiles
  • Experiência Pilar 7 Ponte de 25 Abril
    Experiência Pilar 7 – Viewing platform on the Ponte 25 de Abril
  • Straßenbahnmuseum Lissabon
    Museu da Carris – the Tram Museum in Lisbon
  • Blick vom Arco da Rua Augusta
    Arco da Rua Augusta – Viewpoint over the Praca do Comércio
  • LisboaCard
    Is the LisboaCard worth it?
  • Kutschenmuseum in Lissabon
    Museu Nacional dos Coches – a glimpse into the magnificent world of carriages
  • Zimmer 501 The Art Inn Lisbon
    The Art Inn Lisbon
  • Kneipentour Lissabon, Lissabon Craft Bier
    Lisbon Pub Crawl
  • Food in Lisbon
    From Cherry liqueur to Pudding tartlets – culinary discoveries in Lisbon
  • Get on track of tiled art in Lisbon
    Get on track of tiled art in Lisbon
  • Walk across the Ponte 25 de Abril
    Walk across the Ponte 25 de Abril
  • Expo site of 1998
    Walk on the Expo site of 1998
  • LX Factory
    LX Factory – From factory to tourist attraction
  • Torre de Belém
    4 Tips for Belém – Lisbon
  • Insider tip for Lisbon - The aqueduct, water supply of the city
    Insider tip for Lisbon – The aqueduct, water supply of the city
  • Minimarathon Lissabon
    My first time – as a participant at the Lisbon Mini-Marathon
  • Stierkampfarena Lissabon
    Praça de Touros do Campo Pequeno – a bullfighting arena
  • Free-Guided Tour Lissabon
    Through Lisbon with a free-guided tour
  • travel preparation for Lisbon
    We fly to Lisbon!
  • Lisbon
    What we didn’t do in Lisbon ..
  • Hotelkey
    Lutecia Smart Design Hotel in Lisbon
  • The Lisbon Oceanarium – Wonder, Beauty and Awe
Menu: Lisbon