Santiago do Cacém Castle

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Medieval castle built on a hill with excellent views over the town and the coast. Definitely taken from the Moors in 1217, was donated to the Order of ‘Santiago e Espada’ by Alfonso II. In the 30s of the twentieth century, the castle has undergone works that gave it its present aspect, presenting today an irregular trapezoidal, with four quadrangular turrets and 5 round (the latter being an innovation in terms of medieval military architecture), integrates, within, the ruins of the fortress, being surrounded by Barbican - also reinforced by turrets and still largely intact, except on the southeast side, due to the construction of the parish church. In the nineteenth century, the municipal cemetery was installed inside.

The church of Santiago, from the late thirteenth century, owes its architectural matrix in the first quarter of the fourteenth century to the action of D. Vataça Lascaris (owner of the castle from 1310 to 1336 and Byzantine princess, dame and friend of Queen Santa Isabel). Highlighting for the beautiful embossed representing Santiago fighting the Moors, in the old chapel, and the chapiters with zoomorphic and plant themes of interior columns and the old main portal.