Sé de Silves
The
origin of this town traces back to some 1.000 BC and it was already
a notable place in Roman times. During the Moorish occupation in
the early 11th Century it was given the name of Xelb. They constructed
lavish palaces and it became the cultural centre of learning for
the whole Iberian Peninsula under the mantle of Cordoba in Spain.
In 1189 it had already 15.000 inhabitants, when the city was sacked
by the Knights of Santiago with support of Anglo-Norman crusaders.
The importance of Silves continued under the control of the Portuguese
kings until the 15th Century, when its commerce began to shrink
due to the sitting-up of the Rio Arcade, Silves access to the sea.
The earthquake of 1755 destroyed most of the town and its historic
buildings. The remains of the Moorish castle are still impressive,
and the huge underground water reservoir is still used by the city
today. An archaeological museum has been constructed above this
cistern showing local objects including items from the Stone Age.
The Ponte Romana, a stone bridge over the Rio Arcade was rebuilt
in the 15th Century from the original erected during the Roman occupation.
On the site of a Mosque the Cathedral was built in the 13th Century
and suffered significant alteration over the time.
The tumulus city of yesterday is today a quiet market town surrounded
by the largest orange growing area in Portugal. Cork is processed
locally. North to the fertile valleys is an area of attractive forest
covered hills leading to the mountains of Monchique. The dams of
Arade and Foz are well worth visiting for the beauty of their natural
setting.
