Silves
The former Moorish capital of the Algarve, dominated by a massive red sandstone castle above the Arade river and surrounded by orange groves.
Silves was once the capital of the Moorish Algarve and the most important city in southern Portugal. Known to the Arabs as Xelb, it was a centre of culture, poetry and learning that the 12th-century geographer al-Idrisi compared to Baghdad for its intellectual refinement. Its massive red sandstone castle, the largest and best preserved in the Algarve, still dominates the hillside above the River Arade and stands as the most visible reminder of that era. Today, Silves is a quiet market town of around 11,500 people, but its historical significance is considerable.
The Castelo de Silves was built by the Moors between the 8th and 13th centuries. Its curtain walls enclose an area large enough to have sheltered the entire population during sieges, and the interior contains a deep cistern with Gothic vaulting that was added after the Christian reconquest. The castle was captured in 1189 by a combined force of Crusaders and Portuguese troops led by King Sancho I during the Third Crusade, though the Moors recaptured it two years later. It was not permanently taken until 1242. Archaeological excavations within the walls have uncovered Moorish-era houses, wells, ceramic fragments and the layout of streets from the Islamic period.
Below the castle, the Se de Silves, the Gothic cathedral, was built in the late 13th century on the probable site of the Great Mosque. Its austere red sandstone nave and transept contrast with the more ornate Baroque altarpieces added in later centuries. The cathedral houses the tombs of several bishops and crusader knights. Across the road, the Museu Municipal de Arqueologia traces the region's history from prehistoric times through the Roman and Moorish periods, centred around an Arab-era well that descends several metres below the museum floor and was discovered during construction work.
Silves sits inland, roughly eight kilometres from the coast at Armacao de Pera. The River Arade, once navigable to ocean-going vessels and the route by which the Crusader fleet reached the castle, now flows sluggishly past the town's medieval bridge. The surrounding countryside is characterised by orange, lemon and almond groves. Silves is the centre of the Algarve's citrus-growing industry, and the orange harvest from December through to March fills the valley with colour and scent. In August, the town hosts the Feira Medieval de Silves, a popular medieval fair that transforms the streets below the castle with period markets, jousting displays, costumed performers and roasted meats served from open fires.
The town functions as a useful base for exploring the inland Algarve. The Barragem do Arade reservoir, a few kilometres upstream, is popular for kayaking and picnicking. The Via Algarviana long-distance trail passes through the municipality. Silves has its own railway station on the Lagos to Faro line, though the station sits a couple of kilometres south of the town centre. For anyone interested in the Algarve's Moorish heritage, Silves is essential and unrivalled.
Highlights
- Castelo de Silves, the largest Moorish fortress in the Algarve, with views over the Arade valley
- Gothic cathedral built on the site of the former Great Mosque
- Feira Medieval de Silves, the annual August medieval fair beneath the castle walls