Lisbon in five places

From Roman colony to imperial epicentre, Portugal's capital has played many roles. BARRY HATTON highlights five sites that reveal the city's past and present glories

- BARRY HATTON

1 Castelo de São Jorge

City through the centuries

More palimpsest than palace, the layers of history visible in this hilltop citadel tell the capital's tale since its earliest days. This is where the Romans built their fortification after founding their city of Olisipo in 138 BC, on the site of an even earlier Iron Age settlement, traces of which are found in the north-eastern corner of the Castle of St George.

Following the victory of Christian forces over Islamic occupiers in the 1147 Siege of Lisbon, King Afonso Henriques transformed the Moorish citadel into his royal residence. Once Manuel I moved to a more luxurious palace by the river in 1511, the castle served other purposes, being used as a prison among other things. After the 1755 earthquake that devastated the city, its ramparts remained in ruins till they were heavily renovated under dictator António Salazar in 1938.

Today, the castle is like a crow's nest, from where the city spreads at your feet in a patchwork of terracotta roofs. Visit early in the morning or evening, when the soft light gives the castle's yellow stone a golden hue.

2 Centro Cultural de Belém

Artistic taste