Castelo de Castelo de Vide

The medieval fortress, which comprises the castle and the urban fence, was built during the reign of D. Dinis, and was completed during the reign of Afonso IV, in 1327. In the 17th century, expansion works were carried out on the fortification that surrounds the town up to the limit of the current garden. The São Lourenço fort was built in the 18th century, when the bastioned fortification was extended with the Loureiros Wall. The fortress had a considerable extension, surrounding almost the entire town. Located on one of the highest mountains in the Serra de São Mamede, it served as a lookout for one of the most important Roman military routes, which connected Mérida to the western coast of the Peninsula. This castle was the residence of the Marquises of Alvito and the cloister of the Order of Trinitarians and Franciscans.