Monuments

Dominating the town with what remains of its towers and walls, Moura castle was built by the Portuguese at the beginning of the 14th century, taking advantage of the fortifications left behind by the Arabs. In the second half of this same century, a second walled enclosure was added to provide shelter for the growing population.

In the 16th century, D. Manuel I commissioned Francisco de Arruda to make some alterations, which probably included the clock tower. Also dating from this time was the convent of São Domingos, built within the walled enclosure at the orders of D. Ângela de Moura, in 1562, upon the foundations of the former mosque. The convent church contains the Manueline tomb of the brothers Pedro and Álvaro Rodrigues, the presumed conquerors of Moura.

During the Wars of Restoration of Portugal from Spain, in the second half of the 17th century, the mediaeval fortress was strengthened with a line of bulwarks and ravelins, in keeping with the project developed by Nicolau de Langres, and adapted to withstand the new fighting techniques involving the use of firearms.

Amongst the various fortifications, the most prominent feature is the sturdy-looking rectangular keep and a circular tower onto which a clock was added in the 19th century.