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Visiting the City of Castro Marim

Historical Centre - Linking the church, the castle and the fort, the streets of Castro Marim are lined with houses whose simplicity is typical of the architecture of the Algarve. White predominates, broken here and there by ochre and luminous blues. The bright borders painted on the facades bespeak a taste for geometrical patterns and floral motifs.

Main Church - The building dates from the 18th and 19th centuries and was originally a hermitage. The church suffered considerable damage in a fire in 1960. The church's most striking feature is its elegant bell tower. Surmounted by a false clerestory. The main and side chapels are worth a visit for the statues of the arcanjo São Gabriel (archangel Gabrial) (16th century). which retains traces of polychrome decoration, Nossa Senhora da Encarnação e dos Mártires (Our Lady of the Incarnation and of the Martyrs) (16th century) and a finely proportioned Santa Luzia (St. Luzia).
Misericórdia (Mercy) Church - Unimpressive from the outside, this church houses a main altar with seven wooden panels dating from the 17th century and a collection of 18th century statues.

Santo António (St. Anthony) Hermitage - Occupying an airy spot high on a hill, this building contains a retable made up of seven panels depicting the miracles of the saint.

The Castle - The fortified wall that surrounded the medieval town on top of the hill has its origins in the 13th/14th centuries. At the time of the wars of the Restoration (1610-1668) the castle was adapted in accordance with the latest techniques of warfare, including the introduction of artillery. The old castle stands on a broad open yard. Square shaped with circular towers at its corners and two gates, it is possibly Moorish in origin (10th to 13th centuries). The main gate bears an interesting design in relief, in the shape of a key, and marks typical of medieval stone masons. The ramparts still enclose the former Misericórdia, which has a Renaissance porch and inside, two 17th century tombs, and the ruins of buildings destroyed by the earthquake of 1755. These

include the main church (14th century ), which was dedicated to Santiago (St. James), and the Alcaide's Palace. The castle affords an unrivalled view of the Guadiana river, the town and its salt pans, as well as the surrounding hills and, stretching away to the horizon, the sea.
Fort of São Sebastião (St. Sebastian) - This defensive structure was built in the 17th century and was part of a set of ramparts that surrounded the town, some parts of which are still visible between the houses.

Salt Marsh Natural Reserve
Covering an area of 2,089 hectares, with wet areas of salt marsh, salt pans and creeks and dry areas of schist soils, red clay, arenite and sand, the reserve contains a wide variety of biotopes. It therefore offers a unique opportunity to observe the different ways in which plants and animals adapt to the natural environment. For most visitors, the reserve's biggest attraction is undoubtedly the large number of birds - especially aquatic birds - that can be seen there.
There are 153 species to spot, including storks, avocets, sand pipers, mallards and the ever popular flamingos. Because the reserve is a permanent home

to some species, a seasonal refuge for others and a migratory stopping off point for yet others, it offers
ornithologists a constantly changing year round panoply of sights and sounds. The great richness of its flora - 439 plant species in all - makes the reserve a paradise for those interested in botany. Its abundant natural wealth also includes 34 species of mollusc, 10 species of fish, 13 reptile species, 11 amphibians, 6 species of crustacean and 13 mammals. A visit to the reserve is an opportunity to gain an appreciation in just a few hours of the complex world of wildlife. A visitors centre at Cerro da Rocha provides documentation and guides to itineraries.

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