Page 182 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

The resplendent hilltop
Castelo de Leiria was part of
the defence system of central
Por tugal. In the early 1300s,
King Dinis turned the castle
into a royal residence for
himself and his queen, Isabel
of Aragon. Within the battle-
ments is the Gothic church of
EXPERIENCE Estremadura and Ribatejo Porto de Mós castle, and the town below.
Nossa Senhora da Pena. The
view from the castle loggia
over looks the Pinhal de Leiria
The old town is full of charm,
with grace ful arcades and the
small 12th-century church of
São Pedro on Largo de São
Pedro. The muted 16th-century
Sé above Praça Rodri gues
towering over the
Lobo has an altar piece in the
chancel painted in 1605 by
town's red roofs
Avenida Marquês de Pombal,
opposite the castle, an 18th-
12
110 m (360 ft) into tunnels
century stairway ascends to
Porto de Mós are the biggest, descending Simão Rodrigues. From
the ela borate 16th-century
and walkways around sub-
terranean lakes. A tour through Santuário de Nossa Senhora
! D4 @ n Jardim
Municipal; 244 491 323 caverns with names such as da Encarnação. The small
the “Jewel Room”, past bizarre Baroque interior is tightly
Originally a Moorish fort, and rocks dubbed “Chinese Hat” or packed with colourful geo-
rebuilt over the cen turies by “Jellyfish”, ends in a theatrical metric azulejo panels and
successive Christian kings, a light-and-water show. 17th-century paintings of
rather fanciful castle perches the Life of the Virgin.
on a hill above the small town Museu Municipal
of Porto de Mós. Its present ⌂ Travessa de São Pedro Castelo de Leiria
appearance, with green cone- § 244 499 652 # 9am– " ⌂ Largo de São Pedro
shaped turrets and an exquisite 12:30pm, 2–5:30pm Tue–Sat § 244 839 670 # Apr–Sep:
loggia, was the inspired work ¢ Public hols 10am–6pm; Oct–Mar:
of King Afonso IV’s master 9:30am–5:30pm ¢ 1 Jan,
builders in 1420. Grutas de Mira de Aire Easter, 25 Dec
In the town below, the " ⌂ Av Dr Luciano Justo
13th-century church of São Ramos § 244 440 322
João Baptista retains its orig- # Daily
inal Romanesque portal. In
the public gardens is the richly
decorated Baroque church of 13
São Pedro. Just off the Praça
da República, the Museu Leiria
Municipal displays a varied ! D4 £ @ n Jardim Luís
collection of local finds dating de Camões; www.turismo
back to Roman remains and docentro.pt
dinosaur bones. More modern
exhibits include the local mós An episcopal city since 1545,
(millstones), as well as present- Leiria is set in attractive
day ceramics and woven rugs. countryside on the banks of
The area south of Porto de the Lis river. Originally the
Mós is dotted with vast and Roman town of Collipo, it
spectacular under ground was recaptured from the
caverns with odd rock Moors by Afonso Henriques
formations and festoons of in the 12th century. In 1254,
stalactites and stalagmites. Afonso III held a cortes here,
The Grutas de Mira de Aire, the first parliament attended
17 km (11 miles) southeast, by common laymen.
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