Leiria Palace

Palácio Real do Rei D. João I - Castelo de Leiria / Portugal
Royal Palace inside the Castle of Leiria

Featured by my friends Dennis-B and *lipickwick

- MY IMAGES MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT MY WRITTEN PERMISSION -

Depois de conquistar Leiria aos mouros, D. Afonso Henriques mandou, em 1135, construir o Castelo de Leiria. Essa localidade foi brevemente retomada pelos mouros em 1137, e mais tarde em 1140. Em 1142, Afonso Henriques reconquistou Leiria, sendo desse ano o primeiro foral, atribuído para estimular a colonização da área. Um edifício que foi muralhado em 1195, a mando de D. Sancho I. Em 1324, D. Dinis mandou construir a torre de menagem.
No fim do século XV, o rei D. João I construiu um palácio real dentro das muralhas do castelo. Este palácio, com elegantes galerias góticas que possibilitam vistas maravilhosas da cidade e do meio envolvente, ficou totalmente em ruínas, mas foi parcialmente reconstruído no século XX. D. João I foi também o responsável pela reconstrução da Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Pena, localizada dentro do perímetro do castelo, num estilo gótico tardio. Em 1915, iniciam-se as obras de restauro do castelo, a mando da Liga dos Amigos do Castelo e com algum apoio financeiro do Estado. Em 1969, um sismo vai provocar danos significativos no castelo, mas o castelo de Leiria conseguiu preservar a sua beleza. (Imóvel de Interesse Público)

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The construction of the Leiria Castle was ordered by the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, as way of establish a defensive line against the Moors, yet the wars with Galicia gave some advantage to the Moors and, for two times, they were able to take over Leiria.

In 1142, after re-conquering definetly Leiria, D. Afonso Henriques ordered the reinforcement of the Castle’s defences and the king D. Sancho I, around the year 1195, ordered the construction of the city walls.

During the Middle Ages the importance of the village increased, and it was the setting of several cortes (feudal parliaments). The first of the cortes held in Leiria took place in 1245, under King Afonso II. In the early 14th century, King Dinis I restored the keep tower of the citadel of the castle, as can be seen in an inscription in the tower. He also built a royal residence in Leiria (now lost), and lived for long periods in the town, which he donated as feud to his wife, Isabel. The King also ordered the plantation of the famous Pine Forest of Leiria (Pinhal de Leiria) near the coast. Later, the wood from this forest would be used to build the ships used in the Portuguese Navigations of the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the late 15th century, King João I built a royal palace within the walls of the Castle of Leiria. This palace, with elegant gothic galleries that offered wonderful views of the town and surrounding landscape, was totally in ruins but was partially rebuilt in the 20th century. D. João I also sponsored the rebuilding in late gothic style of the old Church of Our Lady of the Rock (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Pena), located inside the castle.

Throughout the centuries the Castle progressively started loosing its military value and during the French invasions it got quite damaged. Only in the end of the 19th century new conservation and remodelling works were initiated and already in the 20th century it was classified as National Monument.

The Castle was built over a irregular polygonal plan, with solid walls and towers and houses in its interior the Royal Palace, the Santa Maria da Pena Church and the Donjon.