St George's Castle

We took the bus to the stop nearest St George's castle, which is on the prominent hill east of Baixa and was started in the 11th century. The skill of the bus driver who drove us cannot be overstated. He was taking our bus up streets that I would have been nervous driving my car up. We had inches of clearance on both sides of the bus several times. More than once I though " We're not going up that street?" We were. Much respect to the bus drivers of Lisbon.

The castle itself was great. I recommend paying the extra two euros for the guided tour. They have a great archaeological museum on the castle grounds as well. Part of the tour goes thorough an area where they have reconstructed the walls of two ancient houses to give the visitor a better sense of what the houses would have been like.

As one might expect, the views of Lisbon from the walls were amazing.

Here it is from the bottom.

Some in situ original wall painting in one of the houses.

And some more.

The really old stuff. 

Can't really have too many arrow slits.

I went up these which was inadvisable as I then had to go back down them.

This shows the reconstructed walls in the ancient houses. Very effective and clearly demonstrated what is ancient and what is modern. 

Inside the main gate.

The main gate.

St George's castle, 10/10, would go again.