Almourol Castle

Portugal, Portugal

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Almourol Castle is a striking medieval fortress perched on a small rocky islet in the middle of the Tagus River near Vila Nova da Barquinha, central Portugal, renowned for its dramatic island setting and Templar heritage.

Originally a Moorish outpost called Almorolan conquered in 1129 by King Afonso Henriques during the Reconquista, it was entrusted to the Knights Templar under Gualdim Pais, who rebuilt it starting in 1171 as a key defensive stronghold guarding trade routes between the Mondego and Tagus rivers.

Featuring classic Templar architecture with high walls, six circular towers, a central keep, and a cistern, it later passed to the Order of Christ after the Templars' 1312 dissolution, suffering damage from the 1755 Lisbon earthquake before 20th-century restorations. 

Today, accessible only by boat, it stands as one of Portugal's most iconic and photogenic monuments, evoking legends of giants and buried treasures.