Arraiolos Castle aerial view 1440P

Arraiolos Castle is located in the Village of Arraiolos in Alentejo, Portugal.
It is also known as Paço dos Alcaides.
The ancient ocupation of the rocky hill known as the Cabeço de São Pedro is pré-historic. It´sa believe that the settle may date from 300 b.c.
The fortification on that place dates from 1217 when King D Afonso II orders the construction of the Castle.
The Castle was getting abandoned in the XIV century because the place was cold, windy and unpleasant to live. The King D Fernando has tried to solve the problem giving the inhabitants special previlleges but, it didn´t work.
After this crisis, the castle was donated to D. Nunos Alvares Pereira (O Condestável) tho whom was granted the title of Count of Arraiolos.
In 1613 the castle was in an advanced state of ruin.
From 1640 to 1656 it was remodelled for strategic reasons but it soon fell into ruin.
At the beginning of the XX century it was classified as National Monument and all the walls were renewed and fixed.

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Music: Zero-Project