Portugal · Médio Tejo

Almourol

39°27′46″N · 8°22′59″W  ·  Est. 1171 The Templar castle on an island in the Tagus.
An embroidered tapestry of Almourol Castle above the Tagus, a Templar sword and red cross laid on a white mantle.

“Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam”

Knights Templar

Almourol Rebuilt by
Templars
1171
Location · Tagus River, Portugal•Built · 1171•Order · Templars
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The island fortress

A castle you can only reach by boat

Almourol stands on a rocky islet in the middle of the Tagus, with no bridge and no road. Every visit begins with a river crossing. Rebuilt in 1171 by Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Temple, it held the Tagus Line that guarded the frontier against the Moors.

1171rebuilt by the Templars
Islandin the river Tagus
By boatthe only way across
Médio TejoVila Nova da Barquinha · Portugal
The medieval stone gateway of Almourol Castle.

The Order

From the Temple to the Order of Christ

When Pope Clement V dissolved the Knights Templar in 1312, their brothers across Europe were hunted, tried and burned. Portugal chose another path. King Dinis founded the Order of Christ in 1319, moved the Templar estates into it, and kept Almourol standing. Many knights simply changed their mantle and rode on.

  • 1307Friday, 13 October: the arrests begin in France.
  • 1312The Order of the Temple is dissolved by papal decree.
  • 1319King Dinis founds the Order of Christ in Portugal.
  • AfterTemplar lands, and Almourol, pass intact to the new Order.

Legends & mysteries

The Grail, the ghosts, and Friday the 13th

The Holy Grail

Some say the Templars hid sacred relics before their fall, and that Almourol keeps a secret still.

The ghost knights

Figures are said to appear on the walls at dusk, Templars who never stopped guarding the island.

Friday the 13th

The persecution began on Friday, 13 October 1307, the root of the superstition that survives today.

Truth or legend, Almourol has held the imagination for eight hundred years.

Almourol Castle mirrored in the still water of the Tagus at dusk.

Plan your visit

Cross the river to the castle

Everything you need: the boat crossing, tickets, opening hours, and the boarding points at Tancos and Arripiado or Almourol.

Boat crossingThe only way to the island, and half the experience.welcome-to.pt → TicketsPayment includes the crossing and entry to the castle.welcome-to.pt → Open today?Open daily. The river can close it, so check before you travel.welcome-to.pt → Getting thereBoarding at Tancos or Arripiado or Almourol.welcome-to.pt →
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Almourol Castle·Boat crossing, tickets & hours Plan your visit →
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