Castle Zé dos Montes

Brazil, Brazil

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Castelo Zé dos Montes is a unique Moorish-style castle located in Serra da Tapuia, in the municipality of Sítio Novo, Rio Grande do Norte state in northeastern Brazil.

The castle was built by José Antônio Barreto, retired army sergeant known as "Zé dos Montes," who spent over 30 years constructing it from stone and lime starting in 1984. Barreto claimed he received divine instructions from Nossa Senhora (Our Lady), who appeared to him as a woman in a blue dress when he was just 8 years old gathering wood, instructing him to build the castle.

The Moorish-inspired architecture contrasts dramatically with the surrounding mountainous Serra da Tapuia landscape, making it a famous postcard and main tourist attraction of Sítio Novo, located about 100 kilometers from Natal. The castle is one of the most visited monuments in Rio Grande do Norte and opened a special area for tourists to watch the sunset in 2023.

Zé dos Montes passed away on July 6, 2020, at age 88, but his castle remains open to visitors on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, with admission costing R$25 per person and requiring advance scheduling by phone.