Portuguese Castle

Portuguese Castle

Qeshm

Portuguese Castle

29
Few Clouds

There is the remanent of some walls in the Qeshm, Kong, Oman, Ras Al Khaimah and generally, all the regions in the margins of the Persian Gulf. These walls are in fact the main traces of the days of Portuguese colonial dominant over the beaches and islands of the Persian Gulf. 

During the medieval ages, the Portuguese ships ruled this trade road for 110 years from whom several castles have been remained today, among which we can mention to the islands of Qeshm, Hormoz and Lark.

Portuguese castle is placed in the northern part of the island. This castle was built in 1507 by a Portuguese general, named Afonso de Albuquerque, along the trade road of India and Europe. It was unearthed in 1387 AH by Ehsan Yaqmaie. 

Portuguese Castle was a supply and support fortress in the Portuguese navy and its main role was the protection of Hormoz castle in Hormoz island. The castle is 2000 square meters. It has walls of nearly five and a half meters wide, along with towers of about twelve meters, in four sides, in order to protect the castle. One of the most interesting things about this castle is its place on the hills which overlook the whole region and the sea. 

The castle is a trapezium structure made of stone, plaster and Sarooj. Portuguese Castle had included some armory, cistern, Military Barracks, prison, church, commanding fortress and hall. The fortress is placed in the corner of the castle. Four towers have arm, ball and catapult. The church has two rows of circle columns, made of marble stone, along with a vault. Although the design and construction of this castle is inspired by the architecture style of the European medieval castles, you can see the traces of Persian architecture, driven from Parthian and Sassanid tribes. You will also be surprised by some similarities with Seljuk architecture and Shah Abbasi Caravanserai. 

The consuming water of the castle was supplied by the rain and well which had been maintained through some underground channels in pools and ponds. In addition, there was a hidden corridor in the castle which was discovered in 1387 AH, in the distance of 500 meters, spreading to a distance of 15 kilometers before the castle, close to the Kharbas caves


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