page_title: Castle of Castelo Branco
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Castle of Castelo Branco / History
caption_attribution_description: Português: Muralhas do Castelo. Distrito de Castelo Branco. This monument is classified as&#160;Sem protecção legal.It is indexed in the IGESPAR database (Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico), under the reference 71175. It is indexed in the SIPA database (Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico) under the reference 2495. English&#160;| español&#160;| Mirandés&#160;| português&#160;| +/− This file was uploaded for Wiki Loves Monuments in Portugal with the unique identifier 71175. English&#160;| español&#160;| português&#160;| português do Brasil&#160;| +/−
context_page_description: The Castle of Castelo Branco, is a Portuguese medieval castle in civil parish of Castelo Branco, in the municipality of the same name, in the Centro district of Castelo Branco. Known locally, as the Castelo dos Templários, the Romanesque castle was constructed under the orders of King Afonso II of Portugal in 1214.
context_section_description: In 1165, the territory of that would become Castelo Branco was conquered from the Moors and donated to the Knights Templar, who at the time dominated Vila Franca da Cardosa. But, by 1198, King Sancho revised the donation so that half the lands of Castelo Branco were placed within the control of Fernando Sanches. Following the model of Ávila/Évora, in 1213 a foral (charter) was issued in 1213. By the following year Cardosa was bequeathed to the Order of the Templo, confirmed in a papal bull issued by Innocence III (in 1245) where, for the first time, the name of Castelo Branco appeared.
  The first fortification wall was constructed by the Knights Templar between 1214 and 1230, thereby extending their defensive line with Tomar, Monsanto, Zêzere, Almourol and Pombal. Sometime in the last year, D. Simãeo Mendes, Master of the Knights Templar, ordered the construction of a palace for his knights commanders.
  By the end of the 13th century, during the reign of King Denis the castle included four gates: the Golden Gate, the Gate of Santiago, the Traitors' Gate and the Pelame Gate. In the middle of that century a second curtain of walls was constructed that resulted in the existence of seven gates, rather than the three primitive structures. Sometime during this period construction on the keep tower, that was addorsed to the wall was executed, supported from taxes on cereal grains, wine, meat, hospital leftovers, bottles and residual funds from public wills to approximately 600 pounds.
  The first reference to the castle's alcalde occurred in a donation letter dated 1 October 1357, when Martim Lourenço de Figueiredo was referenced as the responsible for the defensive structure. By 1408 description of the castle included details of three chambers, a tower and two horse stables (with its own kitchen), a cattle shed, barn and guardhouse (to guard the silver). In 1422 a barbican was constructed.
  In the 1422 Rol dos Besteiros there is a reference to 6390 inhabitants, but by 1496 "Inquiries", there were just 839 people within its walls.
  During the 16th century a palace was constructed, but only the tower remains to this day. Duarte D'Armas in his Livro das Fortalezas identifies a grand keep tower and palace building, the Palácio dos Comendadores (Palace of the Commanders) with orchard, a curtain of walls defended by five towers, including one with clocktower. The structure was described as constructed from worked stone, with limestone mortar, material easily wore away within the next years. By 1505 there was as a need to have Mateus Fernandes to analyse the need for work on the structure. The castle at that time included eight gates: "Ouro" (Gold) Gate, "Traição" (Traitors') Gate, "Espírito Santo" (Holy Spirit) Gate, "Relógio" (Clocktower) Gate, "Vila" (Town) Gate, "Esteval" (Stable) Gate, "Santiago" (St. Jame's) Gate and "Santarém" Gate. The need to repair the structure lead to the nomination of Álvaro Cardoso to receive the monies for the work on the castle on 20 November 1510. With the growth of the town, there were 1417 inhabitants, leading to the King John III to title the village as Notável (Notable) in 1535.
  In the 17th century, the last commanders inhabited the Commanders palace: D. Fernando and D. António de Meneses. On 22 May 1704, a Franco-Spanish force invaded the territory and battle at the castle resulted in the partial destruction of the walls.  A capsule from 1706 describes the palace as having a masonry portico access with stables to the right and a cistern on the left, fed from rainwater collected on the Church of Santa Maria. The square was fortified with a wall, situated between church and palace. From the four-arch, covered-entrance is a wood patio in chestnut with corner guardhouse. To the left is a staircase with 28 steps alongside the kitchen, with two windowed rooms with fireplaces. The three-floor tower with singular window and garret, for the titular of guarda roupa, was connected to the keep tower.
  In October 1753, the old keep continued exist in an optimal state of conservation.
  In 1762, the square was sacked,
caption: One of the remaining towers in the castle
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