Castro de Chibanes

Also known as: Povoada de Chibanes

Walk along the ridge of the Serra de Louro, and enjoy the tremendous view. To the east stands the castle of Palmela on a high hill. To the north, you can see to the Tejo River mouth and the capital city of Lisbon. To the south, you can see to Setúbal and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a commanding view …which is why during times of conflict it was used as a defensive position. At your feet, you can see the remains: stone walls of thick fortifications, as well as the outline of houses and garrisons. For thousands of years this place was used by people to live with security during dangerous times.

The Castro (“hillfort”) de Chibanes includes three overlapping fortifications: two prehistoric occupancies include the period of 2900-1900 BC (the Chalcolithic period), followed by 4th-2nd centuries BC (Iron Age). There was also occupancy during the Roman Republic period (2nd century BC – 50BC). (Further along the ridge, there is also a later archaeological site, the Alcaria do Alto da Queimada: an Islamic settlement from the Moorish period.) The site is enormous, covering a hectare (10,000 m²).

The castro was identified and excavated in the early 1900s by A. I. Marques da Costa. Further excavations were conducted in the late 1990s by a team from the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography of the District of Setúbal. In 2012-2017 it was excavated by Carlos Tavares da Silva and Joaquina Soares from the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography of Setúbal District (MOADS). The castro is a particularly rich archaeological site, providing a detailed picture of life in the region during the Chalcolithic and Iron Ages.¹ Many artefacts have been found, from stone tools to metal armaments, as well as a wide variety of ceramics.²

Location

The site is in the district of Setúbal, municipality of Palmela. The castro is on a ridge of the Serra do Louro just outside of Palmela to the west.

Coordinates: 38.564539, -8.917194

Access

The castro can be reached by a 1km walk along the “Roteiro dos Moinhos.” It’s not a steep walk, but the final few hundred meters are on a rocky path.

Signage

There are no signs specifically directing you to the castro. From the outskirts of Palmela, you can follow the signs to the “Serra do Louro.” (There are also signs to several wineries – I can personally recommend the Quinta do Piloto!) Then follow the road sign to the “Roteiro dos Moinhos” (Route of Windmills).

You can also follow the walking trail, PR1 PLM “Nas Encostas de Palmela” (On the Slopes of Palmela). (There’s a more detailed brochure here, with a description of the castro.)

There is a descriptive information board (in Portuguese and English) at the site.

Nearby

The Grutas Artificiais (human-made caves) da Quinta do Anjo are extremely close: about 3km away. (There are indications that they may have been used by people from the castro, although they pre-date it.)

Sources

Arruda, Ana. “TAVARES DA SILVA, C. – SOARES, J. (Coords.), 2021 O Castro de Chibanes Na Conquista Romana. Intervenções Arqueológicas de 1996 a 2017 Setúbal: Museu de Arqueologia E Etnografia Do Distrito de Setúbal/Associação de Municípios Da Região de Setúbal. 403 P. (Setúbal Arqueológica, 20). [ISSN 0872‑ 3451].” Ophiussa Revista Do Centro de Arqueologia Da Universidade de Lisboa, vol. 6, 15 Dec. 2022, repositorio.ulisboa.pt/handle/10451/56166?mode=full, https://doi.org/10.51679/ophiussa.2022.121. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025. ↩︎
Carlos, Silva, et al. “Castro de Chibanes (Palmela) Trabalhos Arqueológicos de 2012 a 2017.” Setúbal Arqueológica, vol. 18, 2019, pp. 215–246, hdl.handle.net/10451/40961. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025. ↩︎

Location

Access

Signage

Links

Nearby

Sources

Leave a Comment Cancel