Castle of St George (Castelo de São Jorge) Guide

Perched on the highest of Lisbon’s seven hills, above the old Moorish quarter, the Castle of St George was the royal residence until the late 15th century. Originally built by the Visigoths and later named after King Joao I, the castle, along with much of Lisbon, was severely damaged by a devastating earthquake in 1755. The castle was declared a National Monument in 1910, with rebuilding work starting in 1940 restoring the site to its former state of luxury. Today the castle offers spectacular views of Lisbon from the well-preserved ramparts, as well as beautiful gardens. There is also a giant periscope in the Torre de Ulisses (Tower of Ulysses-Camera Obscura), from where visitors can see spectacular, live images of Lisbon below, reflected onto a large screen.

Contact Addresses

Castelo de São Jorge, Edificio das Antigas Prisões, 1100-129 Lisbon, Portugal
Tel: 218 877 244 or 218 882 831
Website: www.visitlisboa.com

Transportation

Air: Lisbon International Airport. Rail: Tram: Public services. Road: Bus: Public services. Car: A1 to Lisbon (from Porto); A2 (from the Algarve via Almada); A8 (from Caldas da Rainha in the north).

Tourist Information

ICEP Portugal – Investimento, Comércio e Turismo de Portugal (Portuguese Trade and Tourism Office)
Avenida 5 de Outubro 101, 1050-051 Lisbon, Portugal
Tel: 217 909 500. Fax: 217 935 028 or 217 950 961. E-mail: portugalinsite@icep.pt or icep@icep.pt
Website: www.portugalinsite.com or www.portugal.org or www.icep.pt
ICEP/Portuguese Trade and Tourism Office
Second Floor, 22-25a Sackville Street, London W1S 3LY, UK
Tel: (09063) 640 610 (calls cost 60p per minute). Fax: (020) 7494 1868.
E-mail: tourism@portugaloffice.org.uk
Website: www.portugalinsite.com