The Arraiolos Castle, or Paço dos Alcaides, is a 14th century castle located in Central Alentejo. Although it is not the largest castle in the region, it has a curious and almost unique peculiarity in the world, which makes it stand out in an area of the country with so many buildings of this type: its layout is circular architecture.
For those who arrive in the town of Arraiolos (or pass through the surrounding region) it is impossible not to see the Arraiolos Castle, which stands proudly in the landscape, at the top of Monte de São Pedro.
Historically, the Arraiolos Castle has had several roles. It was built in 1306 by D. Dinis, housing the population within its walls. Later it was the county seat of D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, 2nd Count of Arraiolos, who lived here for many years.
Due to the cold and wind resulting from its location, it ended up losing many of its inhabitants. In an attempt to keep some of the population inside the walls, they began to be closed every night after the bell rang, which continued for several decades.
However, the population eventually spread out along the surrounding slopes and three centuries after it was built, the Castle began to be looted for materials, eventually falling into ruins.
It was during the reign of King John IV that it underwent major renovation work, but it eventually fell into ruins again, worsened by the earthquake of 1755. Between 1959 and 1963, it was partially restored by the State, achieving the appearance it still has today.