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City Walls/ Arch of Rest

Noteworthy Building -

 

The east entrance of the medieval walls, for those coming from land, was made trough an elbow shaped door named Arch of Rest (legend has King Afonso III has rested there)

This entrance was reinforced in the 13th century with two Almohad flanking towers whose purpose was to defend one of the most vulnerable city entrances.

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The defensive innovation in these towers is the passive counter attack meaning that whoever got near the wall or its entrance was attacked by the rear. This was made possible by the distance between the towers from the wall.

This door is related to the conquest of Faro by the Christians led by Afonso III on 29th March 1249. On it there is also a legend that this conquest was made quite peacefully without blood shedding battles.According to that legend, a Christian knight and a Moorish maiden have fallen in love. For that the maiden’s father has accused her of treason hence casting a spell – to be forever doomed to stay in that Arch.

  

Specifications 

Classification

Noteworthy Building

Commissioned by

Yahya ibn Bakr, Islamic Governor (walls); Almohads

Design

Unknown
Date of construction/reconstruction/other work

9th century (walls); 13th century (detached flanking towers)

Type Military Architecture/Fortress

  

Adress:Rua do Repouso8000-302 Faro37º0'48.48''N 7º55'58.78''WPhone. (+351)289 870 870 - from a national fixed networkE-mail: geral@cm-faro.ptWebsite: www.cm-faro.pt