A sacred place for every resident of Portugal and the most important tourist attraction in Lisbon... The massive stone citadel had been a defense of the ancient Romans, Visigoths, and Moors, until the first King of Portugal Afonso I the Great came to these lands and seized the ancient castle. That was the day when the history of the independent state of Portugal and the city of Lisbon began. The young conqueror was helped by the French crusaders and a brave knight named Martim Moniz. The brave hero engaged in an unequal battle with the Moors and did not let the secret gate of the citadel close until the arrival of the main royal forces. Today, you can still see the legendary secret gate during the castle tour. Besides, the Lisbon residents commemorated the name of the brave knight by calling one of the city's largest squares and a metro station after Martim Moniz.

Named after Saint George the Victorious (Jorge in Portuguese), the majestic royal castle had been the residence of the kings until the Ribeira Palace was built in the 16th century. The castle was placed under the control of the military, who built the barracks inside. Later, most of the buildings were damaged by the strongest earthquake in 1755. Saint George Castle received the honorary status of a national monument of Portugal only at the beginning of the 20th century. At the same time, a thorough restoration began on the castle grounds.

Today, you can see the high castle walls from any part of the city. The best way to get to the castle is on foot from the famous Commerce Square and see the tall bell towers of Lisbon Cathedral and the two wonderful azulejo panels on the Church of Santa Luzia along the way. The Castle of Saint George's trendy restaurant serves traditional Portuguese food. However, no matter how delicious the food and wine of Portugal are, nothing can compare to the fantastic view of Lisbon from the castle's observation deck.