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The Castle of Leiria ( pt, Castelo de Leiria) is a medieval castle in the
File:LeiriaCastle.JPG, Castle of Leiria
File:Leiria-Château-Galeria-19670802.jpg, Gothic arcade (restored) of the Palace of D. João I
File:Palacios Nuevos. Logia.jpg, Loggia
File:1 Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Pena Castelo de Leiria IMG 8996.JPG, Church of Nossa Senhora da Pena
File:LeiriaCastle2.jpg
File:Torre dos sinos.jpg, Bell tower
Leiria Castle
(Municipality of Leiria) {{Castles in Portugal Leiria Leiria Buildings and structures in Leiria National monuments in Leiria District
The Castle of Leiria ( pt, Castelo de Leiria) is a medieval castle in the civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...
of Leiria, Pousos, Barreira e Cortes, municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
of Leiria, district of Leiria.
History
The castle of Leiria was built byD. Afonso Henriques
Afonso I of PortugalOr also ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonso'' (Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin version), sometimes rendered in English as ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse'', depending on the Spanish or French inf ...
for the purpose of creating a line of defense against the Arabs. In 1142 he reinforced the defense of the castle after regaining Leiria. D. Sancho I ordered erection of the walls of the castle in 1195. In 1324 D. Dinis ordered construction of the keep (Tower of Menagem) which was completed only during the reign of D. Afonso IV. In the early 16th century D. Manuel ordered a sacristy to be built between the main chapel and the bell tower.
Throughout the centuries the castle gradually lost its military value. It was badly damaged during the French invasion. At the end of the 19th century restoration of the castle started in 1915 by the initiative of Liga dos Amigos do Castelo. The restoration project was directed by Ernesto Korrodi between 1921 and 1933, and then by Baltazar de Vastro.
The castle hosted important events as the meetings of the first courts called by D. Afonso III; became the residence of D. Denis and Queen Elizabeth; transformed into a meeting venue for the new court in the reign of D. Ferdinand I and the marriage of D. João I's son D. Afonso was celebrated in this castle as well.
It has been listed as a National monument since 1910.
The castle was damaged by the 1969 earthquake.
Architecture
The present configuration of the castle of Leiria was influenced by the 4 major construction periods: the 12th century's Romanesque, the 14th century's Gothic Dionysus, the early 15th century's Gothic Johannine and the restoration trends of late 19th and early 20th century. The shape of the castle is irregularpolygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two to ...
al with solid walls and towers. Paços Reais (Royal Palace), the Church of Nossa Senhora da Pena, Menagem Tower, the former Collegiate space, and medieval barns are located inside the complex. The castle has 4 floors; the lower two floors are hardly seen from outside and are intended for domestic services. There is a large loggia
In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...
with eight arches of twin capitals. The loggia
In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...
has the panorama over the city and was used as a place for leisure and socializing. The loggia is accessed through a room called Royal Hall or Noble Hall which has a total area of 130 square meters used for receptions by monarchs.
Stonemasonry, brick and concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...
were used in the construction.
Gallery
See also
*Castles in Portugal
Castles in Portugal were crucial components of the military throughout its history. The Portuguese learned the art of building fortifications from the Romans and the Moors. The Romans, who ruled and colonized the territory of current-day Portugal ...
* Castle of Alcobaça
The Castle of Alcobaça ( pt, Castelo de Alcobaça) is a medieval castle in the civil parish of Alcobaça e Vestiaria, municipality of Alcobaça, in the Portuguese district of Leiria.
History
The Castle of Alcobaça is located at a hill abou ...
* Castle of Alfeizerão
References
External links
Leiria Castle
(Municipality of Leiria) {{Castles in Portugal Leiria Leiria Buildings and structures in Leiria National monuments in Leiria District