Marvao: The Castle

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.

Marvao, the castle on the left, the town on the right, mostly; all on a lofty crag

The castle part

Approaching the castle

En foot

A double-curtained affair

Steps down to cistern, said to be six months' worth

Approaching inner castle, keep

Nice little all-weather look-out booths all around

Looking back to the town, which is entirely within the outer curtain

Nice views

Castle do Vide, 5-6 miles away

Spain across the mountains

Gunner's view

Dam and reservoir, one of many in interior Portugal

Keep and curtains

The whole fortress was covered in earwigs, dead and alive, reminding me a bit
of Nemrut Doghi and its hordes of lady bugs

Impressive castle, very much intact, very well signed

Anta Do Tapadao

Now in the northern Alentaje, there was another huge dolmen to see, the Anta do Tapadao. This one was relatively easy to find, signed, even, and on a paved road. We have been very impressed by megalithic Portugal, both by the numerous sites and by their relative accessibility. The Alentaje was a megalithic center no less than the other great ones, and much remains to be discovered and understood.

The Alentaje west of the mountainous border with Spain is a big rock wonderland,
glaciers passing by, leaving huge rocks, precariously balanced sometimes, beached
whales, and other zoomorphic curiosities, we speculate; and, perhaps, easy work
for the megalith builders

This goes on for miles upon miles

Typical

Anyhow, after closing the gate and walking a bit, there is the day's megalithic goal,
the great Anta do Tapadao

Right next to it, a zoomorphic wonder, the Dragon of San Miguel (it's a dragon's
head, snout to the right, an eye in the center...)

Anyhow, back to the Anta, which is huge

A very deep chamber

Capstone

Me, for scale; the thing is a monster

Terrain

Vicki by the dragon

Entrance to the dolmen

Other views

The Dragon again

Convento De Cristo, 2

Continuing our tour of the Convento de Cristo in Tomar...

Renaissance staircase to the upper floor of one
of the many cloisters

Downward view

View of cloister

Others

The church, rotunda at far end

Closer-up of the "other" door; note everyone
is reading

 

Now in one of the dormitory areas

Another cloister hall

The very famous Manueline window; very
late Gothic

Closer-up...much Portuguese imagery...cork
tree, maravelle, seafaring imagery, etc.; did I
mention that Henry the Navigator was Grand
Master of the order and that it achieved
perhaps its greatest victories under him?

Gothic bit

One of not many funny faces

One of the most interesting items--several large pieces of
obviously Roman floor mosaic on (undesignated) display in
one of the rooms

Now in one of the several gift shoppes; mostly warfare

And a nice selection of Portuguese wines

Including Templar wines!