Borba Castle

Borba Castle, locally known as Castelo de Borba, lies in the town of the same name in the Alentejo Central region in Portugal.

The settlement of Borba was taken from the Moors by Afonso II of Portugal in 1217. For its protection, Afonso then donated it to the Military Order of Aviz, as its Portuguese ownership was contested by Castile. It may have been the Order who started the construction of the castle. Certain is, that in 1312, Denis of Portugal, ordered the building or rebuilding of Borba Castle.

Later, during the 1380s, the town suffered from the passage of pillaging English troops. In the 1660s, during the Portuguese Restoration War, the town was ruined by Castilian troops under John Joseph of Austria.

In the 19th century Borba Castle had lost its purpose, and as the town expanded, its walls disappeared or were integrated into urban structures. The shallow moat which once circled its walls also disappeared as structures were built up against the outside of the walls.

Apparently the castle had a rectangular plan with 2 gates; the "Porta do Celeiro" and the "Porta de Estremoz". What remains today is mainly a large section of the west walls, with the low, rectangular keep.

Borba Castle can freely be visited. The former interior of the castle is now a quiet neighborhood. Apparently the keep can be visited, but it was closed when I came by, and I could not find any information about visiting hours.

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