General Map
Legend
1. Main Gate
2. Town Gate
3. Traitor's Gate
4. Castelejo (Torre de Menagem)
5. Church of St. Michael
6. Museum - Sacred Art
7. Amphitheatre
8. Quintal das Lapas
Castle of Penela
Traitor's Gate
Every castle has a Traitor's Gate, which usually faces the fields, so that it will allow a faster access or refuge, and an alternative exit in case the castle is under siege or the main gate is under attack. The one in the Castle of Penela faces northeast, and was introduced in the 13th/14th centuries. It has double opening in the form of an elbow, incorporated into a square tower, which serves as proof of the endurance of Moorish tradition in Portuguese fortifications towards the end of the Middle Ages.
Legend has it, that during the Reconquest, that Infante D. Afonso Henriques managed to take the castle by entering through this gate. There they were, the future King of Portugal and his men, lurking, ready to attack, when the Moors left through the Traitor's Gate to give water to the cattle and left the gate open. The opportunity was seized and the castle was quickly taken.
Today this exit allows people to go around the castle using the footpath between the walls and the 90 meter cliff, in a walk that allows them to enjoy the surrounding landscape of hilly ridges.
Tópicos
- » Castle of Penela
- » Traitor's Gate
- » Castelejo
- » Church of St. Michael
Contacts
Câmara Municipal de Penela
Praça do Município
3230-253 Penela
Tel. +351 239 560 120
Fax +351 239 569 400
www.cm-penela.pt
cmpenela@cm-penela.pt
Tourist Information Office
Praça do Município
3230-253 Penela
Tel. +351 239 561 132
