We drove on to Marvao, a castle/fortified hill town that dates from Moorish times. The fortress was enlarged and strengthened as it changed hands and through the centuries. Being just a few miles from Spain, its main purpose in later centuries was defense against the far larger and more powerful nation to the east. The hill-side
aire at Marvao was full, so we spent the night in a quiet lay-by a kilometer or so down the hill.
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| Marvao, the castle on the left, the town on the right, mostly; all on a lofty crag |
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| The castle part |
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| Approaching the castle |
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| En foot |
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| A double-curtained affair |
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| Steps down to cistern, said to be six months' worth |
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| Approaching inner castle, keep |
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| Nice little all-weather look-out booths all around |
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| Looking back to the town, which is entirely within the outer curtain |
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| Nice views |
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| Castle do Vide, 5-6 miles away |
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| Spain across the mountains |
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| Gunner's view |
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| Dam and reservoir, one of many in interior Portugal |
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| Keep and curtains |
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The whole fortress was covered in earwigs, dead and alive, reminding me a bit
of Nemrut Doghi and its hordes of lady bugs |
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| Impressive castle, very much intact, very well signed |
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