Algarve West Tourism Guide - Silves

Algarve Portugal History - Moorish Silves, Roman Silves

If you took a boat trip up the River Arade from Portimao to Silves, you'd be following in the footsteps of Phoenician traders who passed this way around the 1st millennium BC. Back then Silves was known as Silbis - a Roman city, however other invaders have set up shop here including the Moors who made Silves their Algarve capital.

There's Algarve history galore in Silves - it's a very popular location for Algarve day trips and excursions. Historic sights include Silves' glorious Moorish Castelo/castle and adjacent Igreja Misericoridia Cathedral. Just below the cathedral sits the informative Museum of Archeology, and move further down from the castle for a visit to the Museum of Cork - Silves' award winning museum. Silves has in recent times been a hub for Portuguese cork production - this museum is not to be missed!

Silves, as you'll gather if you visit, is elevated on a strategic hill. This fact, alongside its location beside the River Arade - a route into the Algarve interior - has made it a hotspot location through the ages. To achieve control here also meant easy access to copper and iron mining to the southwest. First came the Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians, then in the 8th century came the Moors. It's had its name changed a few times has Silves, the Moors called it Shelb or Xelb. Between the 11th and 13th century this little Algarve historic centre ranked up there with Lisbon in importance.

Under Dom Sancho I, with some hired English help, Silves was seized from the Moors in 1189 and subsequently plundered and wrecked. Despite falling back into Moorish hands shortly after the seige, the damage had been done and Silves never recovered its former glory. Today little remains (largely due to the earthquake) of Moorish architecture, but notice the citrus and almond groves in and around Silves - the Moors were responsible for introducing these and indeed for irrigating the area.

Silves Algarve Castle, Cathedral & Museums

Hints of Silves' glorious Moorish past can be seen best at Castelo de Silves. It was renovated in 1835, but the Moors built this red sandstone castle to withstand attack and much remains from the original period. Excurvations are still going on here, uncovering remains of Roman and Phoenician forts on the same spot. Walk round the castle walls for splendid panoramic views across Silves and the surrounding vast countryside expanse.

Further developments still in progress in March 2007 when we visited are the inclusion of a historical garden, cafe and more museum buildings. Archeological finds here are ongoing.

During the 1189 seige of Silves led by Dom Sancho, the Moors held up here in the castle for 3 months, until running out of water finally forced them to concede! From the perimeter of Silves Castle walls there are superb views down onto the Cathedral and Igreja Misericordia. Note the rather weird external carvings on the Misericordia and striking Manueline doorway.

Silves Castle, Largo do Castelo, Silves, Algarve is open in the Summer from 9am to 8pm, and in Winter from 9am to 5pm. Tel: 282 445 624. A number of delightful cafes are situated adjacent to the castle and cathedral. Enter the Cathedral for free from 8.30am to 6.30pm daily, and the Igreja Misericordia from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm. The igreja dates from the 16th century, whilst the Se/Cathedral dates from 1189.

Museu da Cortica (Museum of Cork), Silves Algarve History & Silves Festival da Cerveja

Museu da Cortica, Fabrica do Ingles, Rua Gregorio Mascarenhas, 8300-160 Silves, Algarve. Tel: 351 282 440 440.

The Museum of Cork in Silves is one of the most popular museums on the Algarve. Its won awards for being one of the best European Industrial museums! The site of this splendid Algarve Museum is within an English Cork factory. Through the 19th and 20th centuries cork making was huge across the Algarve, but particularly so here in Silves.

With a firm nod to social history, this industrial museum of cork explores not only the production process of cork making and manufacture, but is also crammed with photos and information on the pople who worked in the industry - local people here in Silves. Such detailed social history looking at the everyday is often rare amongst the religious pomp and focus on explorer Portuguese haydays in many Portuguese museums - so enjoy this one particularly! The Museum of Cork is open from 15th September to 14th July from 9.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm. From 15th July to 14th September from 9.30am to 1pm, and 2pm to 10pm.

Museu Da Cortica sits within the Fabrica Do Ingles square with a superb choice of bars, cafes and restaurants - all with alfresco dining and drinking. Chic shops also sit within the square. See weblink right for details - in Portuguese only at present. The Fabrica do Ingles area is the main site for festivities during Silves' superb Festival da Cerveja which runs for 10 days annually in late June.

Museu De Arqueologia, Silves Algarve Museums

Museu Arqueologico de Silves, Rua das Portas de Loule 14, 8300-139 Silves, Algarve. Tel: 351 282 444 832. Open from 9am to 6pm Mondays to Saturdays, closed on Sundays.

As you can imagine, there are numerous archeological finds in here from Castelo de Silves, but also many from the Cerro da Rocha Branca archaological site. This museum sits on the important water reservoir here which dates from the 12th and 13th Almohade period. This mini reservoir dips to a depth of around 20 metres. You can descend down spiral steps to view this Arab creation.

Other collections in the museum include Roman remains and artefacts, as well as Moorish pieces and Iron Age funeral monoliths.