Castelo de Salir

Castelo de Salir
Castelo de Salir, peculiar for not including a fortress, was probably built on the 12th/13th centuries, during the Arab occupation, with the purpose of protecting the peasants from Christian attacks.

One could already guess its conquest by the knights of the Order of St James, which happened after Tavira was taken.

Its walls were built with lath-and-plaster, a process of ancestral origin which was applied, during centuries, in the construction of the Algarve houses.

Thus, sand was mixted with stones, clay and lime, poured into wooden moulds, and cast with the maximum of pressure.

It was dried in layers, and this operation was repeated until the right height was obtained.

Then, the blocks were used to build walls.

Although there is nothing left of the Castle of Salir except from some ruins of these walls, the site still affords dazzling views of the surrounding green hills and fields, tuerning this village into a homely and pleasant place to visit.