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00:00Fortress, prisons, towers, the castles have witnessed our history for centuries.
00:30In Europe, over a hundred thousand are still standing, thousand years later.
00:40Let's visit the most spectacular and most mysterious castles.
00:47We will discover the secrets that are hidden behind their walls
00:53and we will relive their long-lasting legends.
01:29The Pena Palace is quite a symbol in Portugal.
01:3430 kilometers from Lisbon, rising majestically above Sintra,
01:39a city of historic worship and the country's tourist center,
01:46is the Pena Palace.
01:59From its lofty position, it dominates and controls an area,
02:04where we find defensive constructions, curious palaces and their legends,
02:09and mysterious masonic occultist constructions and templar origins.
02:16Is there any link between these constructions that stand so close to each other?
02:29Commissioned by King Ferdinand II of Portugal as a holiday residence in 1839,
02:40the Pena Palace is a huge mixture of styles and exoticism that makes it special.
02:47We know that Ferdinand II, of German descent,
02:51was Grand Master of the Order of the Rosicrucians,
02:55a secret order born in Germany that had links with the Masons.
03:00According to the legend, he was a well-initiated king,
03:05a king who had other visions and who would have applied everything he knew in that reconstruction.
03:16The Order of the Rosicrucians claims to seek, through the occult sciences and esotericism,
03:23the mysteries of the universe and of nature,
03:26transmitted from the most ancient times, including from ancient Egypt.
03:32To be an active member, apart from having a pure bloodline
03:37and demonstrating excellence in culture, there are a number of initiation rites that must be performed.
03:46And in that context, just a short distance from the Pena Palace,
03:51we find the initiation well in the Quinta da Regalera.
03:56This mysterious estate, full of passageways, mazes and esoteric symbols,
04:07was created by Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro,
04:11born to Portuguese parents and known as the Millionaire.
04:27He bought the land in 1892 and built this visual delight, which is a main attraction in Sintra,
04:39but also a place of Masonic worship that conceals meanings related to alchemy,
04:45the Templars and the Rosy Cross.
04:56In the walkway of all its properties, there were several-pointed stars drawn on the sidewalk,
05:04to know that a property of the man, of Carvalho dos Milhões, was next to it.
05:14The most striking feature is this curious structure.
05:17It has the name of initiation well,
05:20because apparently initiation rites for new members of the Order were held here.
05:26This initiation well has its name also associated with the initiation rites
05:34that Freemasonry imposed on the new Freemasons.
05:39And so it got that name.
05:41And the legends, of course, spread about the historical factuality associated with that well.
05:50It is an inverted 27-meter-high tower.
05:56It can be accessed from the top or from several tunnels that emerge at the base.
06:03At the base, we can see an eight-point star, which originates in the Templar symbol.
06:12The Order's aim was for new members to pass through these tunnels in dark
06:17and the light projected from the mouth of the well.
06:21This was a symbolic reference.
06:23The initiate was searching for the unknown, leaving behind his previous life,
06:29increasing his knowledge as he climbed up the tower staircase.
06:38There were two entrances in the park leading to the well.
06:42Both are winding and labyrinthine,
06:45and although they are now lit, back then they were in complete darkness.
06:51Passing through the tunnels meant overcoming earthly obstacles.
06:56The climb out of the well's 27-meter depth was up a staircase dotted with Romanesque arches,
07:03and there are nine clearly differentiated levels,
07:06a figure associated with the nine levels of hell in Dante Alighieri's Divina Commedia.
07:16The well can also be visited in reverse, from top to bottom,
07:20but doing it like this meant risking a fall back into darkness.
07:26In fact, one of the tunnels leads directly to an unfinished well,
07:31a ruined replica that symbolizes that the reverse route has no exit.
07:45It's like faith.
07:50If I believe firmly that it is an initiatory well,
07:55I can establish the various levels and the various paths,
08:01from the spirit to the ground, to the earth.
08:07I can create, according to my knowledge and my legend,
08:13a whole new legend and a whole new mystique.
08:22Were there tunnels connecting the Quinta da Regalheira with the Pena Palace?
08:27Ferdinand II and Carvalho Monteiro shared the order of the Rosicrucians just a few years apart.
08:34Some say that the huge gardens conceal mazes and passageways that were used in olden times.
08:42The landscape is full of caves,
08:45caves with many times esoteric justifications,
08:49which raise legends.
08:53The Quinta da Regalheira is not the only spot in the area
08:57that has elements in common with Templar symbols and numerology.
09:03Just a few hundred meters away stands the National Palace of Sintra,
09:09another peculiar construction with its recognizable image of two enormous chimneys
09:15that have become an icon of the city.
09:18Inside, the octagonal figure is present in much of its decoration.
09:23The number 8 and its geometric representation is highly reminiscent of the Templars.
09:39The National Palace was a royal residence from the Middle Ages,
09:43once it had been reconquered.
09:45King John I of Portugal enjoyed it for years
09:49and that period has passed down to us the curious legend of the magpies.
09:57Apparently, the queen caught the king kissing a lady-in-waiting.
10:02In his surprise at being caught, he replied,
10:05Foi por bem, which means, for the good of all.
10:11The phrase rapidly became an object of derision among the ladies of the court.
10:16In the face of this laughter and rumors,
10:19the king ordered that a room in the palace be decorated with 136 magpies painted on the ceiling,
10:26in honor of all the ladies in the court who had gleefully spread the gossip.
10:31Nowadays, it is known as the Sala de las Huracás, or magpie room.
11:02Years before giving rise to the legend of the Huracás, as King of Portugal,
11:08John I was engrossed in reconquering his lands from the Spanish armies.
11:13The period was the middle of the 14th century.
11:17The first news of the Magpies was the arrival of the Spanish in Portugal.
11:23The first news of the Magpies was the arrival of the Spanish in Portugal.
11:27The period was the middle of the 14th century.
11:32The Castle of the Moors was a very difficult fortress to conquer
11:36because of its position on a steep rocky outcrop in the mountain range surrounding Sintra.
11:41Very close by is the Pena Palace,
11:46and at the bottom of the valley, the National Palace.
11:57It was defended by a mare loyal to the Spanish crown.
12:02A detachment attempted to attack it,
12:05but before they arrived, a tremendous storm broke above them,
12:11and the troops were forced to retreat to Lisbon.
12:18King John I, in one of his phrases recorded for posterity,
12:22justified it by saying that it was not God's will to conquer the castle at that moment.
12:29The Castle of the Moors owes its name to the Arab presence
12:33during the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
12:45The Castle of the Moors owes its name to the Arab presence
12:48during the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
12:58They built a first fortification between the 8th and 9th centuries, and for the rest of
13:06its history, it was alternately controlled by Spanish and Portuguese.
13:28This water tank, or cistern for the water emanating from the spring in the rock, dates
13:37from the Arab period.
13:38The water was used to supply the troops, which made any siege complicated.
13:48The design and the strength of the cistern is admirable, if we bear in mind that we are
13:52talking about something that was built more than a thousand years ago.
14:20In the 12th century, after great victories on the battlefield, Afonso Henríquez acceded
14:27to the throne of Portugal.
14:29Just as John I would do later, he sent a group of 20 soldiers to take Sintra Castle.
14:37Apparently the soldiers were terrified because there were few of them and they knew about
14:42the Arabs' fighting abilities.
14:45And this gave rise to the legend of Melides.
14:52When the soldiers were at their most wary, the legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared
14:57to them.
15:02Do not be afraid because you were 20, but you were a thousand.
15:07You were a thousand because you were 20.
15:12After five days in hiding, they defeated the ferocious Arab soldiers.
15:37Nowadays, the vegetation planted subsequently has gradually taken over, and it is difficult
15:55to make out the castle's winding structure.
15:59But the climb up the 500 steps leading to the royal tower continues to be spectacular,
16:07with majestic views from the tower of the Pena Palace, the city of Sintra, its national
16:15palace, and the Quinta de Regalera.
16:19Four locations replete with mystery and legends.
16:26Lisbon, year 1147.
16:35A huge fortified citadel dominates the city.
16:40Inside, a Moorish detachment resists the siege of the army of Afonso I, made up of crusaders
16:49from various origins, on their way to the Holy Land.
16:56Seventeen weeks trying to force out the invaders.
17:20One morning, the captain of the Portuguese troops, Martim Monif, saw how a door in the
17:26wall half opened, and threw himself against it without a second thought.
17:32The legend has it that a fierce struggle ensued, with Martim Monif using his body to stop the
17:38door from closing.
17:40His soldiers seized the opportunity and entered the fortress.
17:45A few hours later, the castle of Saint George was captured, and everyone attributed it to
17:51the sacrifice made by Captain Martim Monif.
17:55Martim Monif is considered one of the heroes of the reconquest of Portugal.
18:18The castle gate now bears his name, and a square at the foot of the hill pays homage
18:23to the captain's bravery.
18:28A martyr who is permanently revered in Lisbon.
18:54During the following centuries, the castle witnessed a number of skirmishes and sieges
19:00laid by the Spanish troops in the process of configuring the two countries, after territories
19:07were regained from the Arabs.
19:11It was always a difficult bastion to capture.
19:14It comprised 6,000 square meters of high ground, with a configuration of 11 towers and 12 entrance
19:22gates.
19:24It has its own springs, which made long sieges difficult for the attackers.
19:33It formed an enormous citadel, with the curious feature of long staircases, allowing soldiers
19:40easy access to the lower areas of the castle wall.
19:46From its lofty position, overlooking the navigable mouth of the river Tegus, San Jorge
19:52afforded views of any danger that might be lying in wait.
20:00In the 20th century, to illustrate this, an optical system of lenses and mirrors, created
20:06by da Vinci, was installed, offering a detailed 360-degree view of the city.
20:16This perspective helps us to understand the importance the site had, in terms of defense
20:22and communication, for the different civilizations that settled here.
20:40Soldiers.
20:42Monks.
20:44Crusaders.
20:46The Knights Templar were responsible for actions with a scope that transformed the future of
20:51the Middle Ages.
20:54With Christian faith as their banner, they left an impression on the Western world that
20:59is still remembered today.
21:03They also lived a life shrouded in an aura of occultism that propelled them into the
21:08territory of legends.
21:11Branded as heretics in their latter days, the castle of Tomar saw the end of their influential
21:17travels.
21:20This fortress became the religious order's last bastion in Europe.
21:32Stories were already being told in the period of how the Templars found this location using
21:38profane premonitory arts.
21:44But what we know for sure is that after the reconquest, the first king of Portugal donated
21:50the land to the order as part of a defensive project.
21:57The main reason for building the fortress was to defend the convent of Christ.
22:04The importance of this monastery lies in its church, whose chapel has an unusual circular
22:14design in the form of an ambulatory, called charola, or the oratory of the Templars.
22:34This site was used to certify the faith of its devotees and their adherence to the order,
23:00allowing horsemen to enter the church without dismounting.
23:04This way, they could be made armed knights in this very spot.
23:26Tomar benefited from the architectural advances of the Templars, turning the fortress into
23:32an example of their achievements and a centre that met the high standards imposed by the
23:38order.
23:41Characteristic elements of their fortifications, such as double walls and a profusion of towers,
23:47were used in its design.
23:52Also worthy of note are its doors.
23:54The most famous is the so-called Blood Door, given this name after the battle against the
24:00Muslim troops.
24:02900 men besieged the castle for six days, but the door stood fast.
24:12A genuine bloodbath ensued, confirming that Tomar could not be conquered.
24:23The Templars made the most of the knowledge they acquired from fighting in the Holy Land,
24:28to give the fortification its recognisable curtain wall.
24:45A fortress of these characteristics could not fail to be associated with mystery.
25:13A multitude of esoteric elements abounds in the castle, promoting that mystical aura
25:19that damaged the order's reputation in its latter years, and was used by its enemies
25:24to accuse them of heresy.
25:29There is a profusion of the number 8, the mystical figure par excellence, which appears
25:35on its columns, for example, and also other symbols considered to be pagan.
25:41For this reason, Tomar continues to make historians doubt the authenticity of the accusations
25:47that depleted their reputation.
25:51If we take both the myths and the truth into account, Tomar stands as the last great Templar
25:58fortress in the West, the guardian of the mysteries of the order of the Temple.
26:16Just over 20 kilometres from Tomar stands another of the Templar enigmas in Portugal.
26:25The arcane castle of Almorol.
26:31Why is Almorol considered Portugal's most enigmatic castle?
26:38It lay behind the walls of its robust fortifications.
27:04The participation of the Templars in the reconquest of Portugal was decisive.
27:09Thanks to this, they were given the so-called Tagus Line, consisting of a series of fortifications
27:16on the banks of this great river, which served as a barrier to defend the capital of the
27:21period, Coimbra.
27:42According to legends, the Knights Templar may have used these constructions for something
28:05more than defending the nation.
28:10The design of these fortresses was entrusted to Gualdim Paes, the mysterious master of
28:16the order, whose time in charge is shrouded in both military exploits and alchemistic
28:23rituals.
28:24Gualdim's influence remains to this day, as some claim to have noted his presence among
28:52the Almorol battlements.
29:00The castle is also the stage for a multitude of legends surrounding Moorish converts, from
29:06girls thrown into the void as victims of treason, to romances that ended in murder.
29:19With its double-walled enclosure, flanked by nine four-cornered towers, the fortification
29:25was designed to be adapted to the particular features of the space, an island of stone
29:31in the middle of the River Tagus.
29:35But why did the Templars embark on the complicated task of building a fortress in a place like
29:41this?
29:45What were they trying to protect behind these walls that were so difficult to reach?
29:52Many people defend the idea that the famous treasure of the Templars can be found within
29:57its walls.
30:00How did the legend of the treasure of the Templars come about?
30:09It is said that after losing Jerusalem, the Templars fled from the Sultan Saladin, laden
30:16with relics from the ancient Temple of Solomon.
30:20Gold and silver furniture, artefacts of power and other fantastic objects, such as the mythical
30:26Table of Solomon, form part of the legend of the treasure of the Templars.
30:37An island in the middle of the Tagus would be a perfect place to hide their booty.
30:43However, it is also said that a network of 12 kilometres of tunnels connected the castle
30:50with the outside.
30:54And these tunnels may have been where the treasure disappeared after the Templars left,
31:00although no archaeological remains have been found to certify its existence.
31:30With or without treasure, Al Morol, with its unusual location and its iconic design,
31:40will always be shrouded in the mists of the Templar myth.
31:57Amongst the rubble, in the harsh confines of the old fortress, battered by strong winds,
32:07covered in stone, tightly packed, are two stacked coffers, one of gold, the other of
32:16the plague.
32:19These verses are the start of the poem written by the Count of Montserrat, based on one of
32:25the most intriguing legends surrounding the castle of Montemoro Velo.
32:32It may be that beneath its walls is one of Portugal's most impressive hidden treasures,
32:41and one of its curses.
32:50Twenty-five kilometres from Coimbra, the ruins of the castle of Montemoro Velo stand
32:56as vestiges of a life spent being passed from hand to hand.
33:03Muslims and Christians were involved in the continuous struggle for these lands and dominated
33:08the region by periods.
33:13The fact that it stood on the banks of the river Mondego made the fortress a highly prized
33:18possession, standing on a line that was the natural separation between the Christian
33:23north and the Muslim south.
33:37The fortification's reputation also came from its large size.
33:45Only 5,000 men could be housed inside the complex.
33:53It is no surprise that the terrain should give off such a startling sensation, given
33:58that it is replete with the ghosts of many centuries wandering its crumbling walls.
34:11Despite having suffered centuries of plundering and occupations, the fort has areas that have
34:16lasted until today.
34:20Protected inside the castle walls, we can still enjoy the church of Santa Maria de Alcazova,
34:28a building renovated in the 16th century.
34:31It has more than one surprise in store, like its stylised Manueline columns.
34:40But what really catch the eye are its altarpieces and Romanesque sculptures, silent witnesses
34:47of the place's history.
34:53A fortress with a tumultuous history is the perfect setting for myths and fantasies to
35:03develop.
35:07The most famous legend associated with these lands is the so-called Legend of the Two Coffers.
35:13The lord of the castle, a stern widow, had just one daughter.
35:18She was his greatest treasure.
35:21But when the young woman secretly married a knight against her father's wishes, he
35:25flew into a rage.
35:30In an act of revenge, the lord of the castle decided to give them a malicious gift.
35:36He offered them two sealed coffers, which they had to choose from.
35:43One was full of gold.
35:46The other was loaded with the plague.
35:49Once opened, it would unleash a plague that would annihilate the population mercilessly.
35:57The young lovers preferred their love and fled without choosing either of the coffers.
36:26Could the coffers still be hidden somewhere in the castle, or could someone have opened
36:31them already?
36:42Rising above the Sierra de San Mames mountain range is a fortress that is so high that as
36:48the local residents are wont to claim, you can see the backs of the birds flying below.
36:56This is why the castle of Marvão is also known as the Eagle's Nest.
37:02José Saramago, the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, went as far as to say, from
37:09Marvão you can see the whole of the earth.
37:15Indeed, nobody can doubt the panoramic view enjoyed by these lands.
37:21Its unique location, together with the sheer rock that supports it, and the legend that
37:46protects it, gives the castle of Marvão the reputation of being Portugal's most unconquerable fortress.
38:16The castle of Marvão is considered to be a set of superimposed fortresses.
38:39And three different lines of fortification confirm that its architects took their task
38:44seriously.
38:48All the elements of the castle were designed to make it an impregnable site.
38:56From its interminable ramparts to its strategic battlements.
39:06From its blind doors to its embrasures for low fire, Marvão was designed to be an obstacle
39:18course for its attackers.
39:21The walls were adapted to the sheer nature of the terrain, making the most of the passive
39:28defence provided by the craggy crest of quartz rock on which the fortress is built.
39:55Marvão, it is claimed, was able to withstand a year-long siege.
40:00The water tank that can still be seen in the castle is one of the reasons supporting such
40:05a claim.
40:07This enormous 10-metre-high cistern could supply the hamlet for months.
40:25The inhabitants of Marvão maintain that the hamlet has lasted so long because of the protection
40:31of its patron, Nossa Senhora da Estrela.
40:36Our Lady of the Star.
40:39It is said that she defends anyone who lives within its walls.
40:45There is a story that in wartime, two Spanish soldiers crept up close to the fortress in
40:51search of an entrance to attack it.
40:56Suddenly, an unknown woman's voice shouted, take arms!
41:12The lookouts then alerted the troops garrisoned in the castle.
41:17After being given away by this woman, the Spanish soldiers fled down the slope in terror.
41:23Of course, it is said that the woman's voice that alerted the soldiers was the voice of
41:28Our Lady of the Star herself.
41:32It is perhaps thanks to Nossa Senhora da Estrela that the castle of Marvão still stands today,
41:39protecting its inhabitants.
41:41One thing we can be sure of, however, is that its stones will continue to witness the passage
41:47of time from the privileged vantage point provided by the Sierra de San Mames.
42:00Feats of war and political intrigues are characteristic elements of all fortresses.
42:08But castles are also notable as being the backdrop for famous romances.
42:16It turns a fortress into the perfect stage for stories of lovesickness.
42:25Braganza has witnessed treachery in love and even stories of people locked up for love.
42:35The adultery committed by the nobleman Fernão Mendes, which led his wife Dona Sancha to
42:42take refuge in the castle, are well known.
42:49Another scandalous case was that of Dona Leonor, the wife of the fourth Duke of Braganza, who
42:56was imprisoned in the castle after being unjustly accused of adultery.
43:04But the most famous romance associated with this place is the one that revolves around
43:10the so-called Princess's Tower.
43:40The girl fell in love with a poor soldier, but the penniless soldier was not worthy of
43:53her hand in marriage, so he left to seek his fortune.
44:01But time passed and the soldier did not return.
44:05Even so, the princess rejected all the suitors that came seeking her hand in marriage.
44:12Years later, her uncle betrothed her to a wealthy knight.
44:17But when she met him, she confessed her intention to continue to wait for her soldier.
44:24Her uncle flew into a rage and came up with a plan to teach her a lesson.
44:30Disguised as a ghost, during a stormy night, he crept into the princess's bedchamber.
44:36The ghost's message was clear, the girl must forget about her lover because he would never
44:42return.
44:43Her duty was to marry the knight chosen by her uncle.
44:46Miraculously, a flash of lightning lit up the room and revealed that the spectre was
44:52in fact her own uncle.
44:58The disconsolate princess withdrew into one of the towers, some say forever, others until
45:05her love returned.
45:11This story ensured that the building would forever be known as the princess's tower.
45:29This fortress, with its sturdy walls and robust design, represents the virtues of the Portuguese
45:36people.
45:37The castle of Guimaraes is the beginning of the Kingdom of Portugal.
45:45How can it be that this fortress carries such a reputation on its shoulders?
45:52Ancient and regal, the fortress was built to become a medieval bastion against the continuous
45:57attacks of Moors and Norsemen.
46:04A bird's eye view reveals the surprising triangular shape of Guimaraes.
46:10Its three-point floor plan reminds us of a shield, an appearance that supposes a good
46:15metaphor for the defensive nature of the fortress.
46:21It also benefits from a design unlike the usual Portuguese constructions of the period,
46:28perhaps because of the Saxon influence that can be seen in its forms.
46:38With its solid granite walls, Guimaraes resisted attacks for centuries, despite its relatively
46:44small size.
46:45It measures just 50 meters long by 30 meters wide.
46:51The castle was built with an imposing appearance, made to look much bigger than it actually
46:56is.
47:12With eight turrets around its keep, this imposing fortress stands proud and important,
47:19as it has done since it was built, witness as it was to the birth of the Portuguese nation.
47:26So let's have a look at the foundations of modern-day Portugal.
47:56The origins of Portugal give rise to one of the most powerful legends of the time.
48:09We are talking about a tale that defines the honorable nature of the country and its capacity
48:15for loyalty and commitment.
48:18That tale is the legend of Egas Moniz.
48:23In the 12th century, the Spanish army was fighting to maintain its hegemony in Guimaraes,
48:29but the prince Afonso Henríquez had other intentions, the independence of the kingdom.
48:37The region was not going to be able to deal with the siege of Spanish troops.
48:53However, Henríquez, the Portuguese prince, went back on Moniz's promise.
49:14He refused to submit to the Spanish king and continued with his plans.
49:19This meant that Moniz's honour was called into question.
49:49To keep his honour intact, Moniz decided to leave for the court of the Spanish king.
49:58He did away with his noble attire, dressed in rags and travelled to Toledo.
50:09He presented himself to the king as a beggar.
50:14His intention was clear, to place his life and that of his family at the sovereign service
50:20as a guarantee of his commitment and a gesture of loyalty.
50:27The monarch was overwhelmed by Moniz's actions.
50:32Understanding that his promise had been kept, he was moved and gave him back his freedom.
50:41The legend of Aigas Moniz thus became the representation of the honourability of the Portuguese people.
50:52And the castle of Guimaraes benefits from this tale to stand as one of the most unusual
50:58fortresses on the Iberian Peninsula, a genuine national symbol based on honour and on legend.
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