Those were called hisn (plural husun): built as defensive strongholds of the Jund, military territorial divisions or districts of conquered provinces under the early Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates, in which detachments mobilised for seasonal campaigns were quartered. Still, those reconstructions allowed Portugal to rescue its Medieval heritage and provide both academics and visitors, locals or foreigners, joy at the sight of these historical marvels, true symbols of such a popular Era.įollowing the arrival of Berber and Arab Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula, the late 8th Century marked the appearance of the first castles and, as some scholars suggest, even Europe. Rebuilt according to nationalistic ideals of the right-wing ‘Estado Novo’ regime, those reconstructions were generally fair of their original look, minor small details like misshaped melons or roofing once opened towers in some castles. Nevertheless, some of the more ruined ones underwent extensive restoration works during the 1930s and 1940s. This constant reuse meant that, at the dawn of the 20th century, most were still in better shape than their European counterparts, especially in England or France.
Progressively abandoned since mid-16th century with the arrival of fortifications better prepared for gun artillery, they still saw some fight during the 17th and 18th centuries before serving as storage depots, cattle shelters and even cemeteries. Scattered throughout Portugal, the early castles around the country, their geographical locations served a clear purpose of border defence during the continuous warfare of the Reconquista, first as the border between Christian and Muslim territories, and later, with hostilities against León and Castilla increasing, built in several lines of defence at the border with its neighbouring kingdom.
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