Tavira - The Legend of the Moor

A mystical tale lingers in the old Moorish castle of Tavira, which King Dinis rebuilt in 1331.

According to legend, a stunning Moorish maiden appears on the castle walls at midnight on the eve of St. John's Day. She waits for the love of a courageous knight to free her from the enchantment that has imprisoned her.

Residents of Tavira remember the legend as the clock strikes twelve, and St. John's Eve is still celebrated there today.

According to some, the maiden was the daughter of Aben Fabilla, the Moorish king of Tavira at the time D. Paio Peres Correia seized the castle. In the hopes that they would win, her father used a spell to keep her safe during the confusion.

Despite the numerous changes in Tavira's destiny, the legend of the enchanted Moor endures and is woven throughout the town's past.

The History of Tavira in Brief

From early settlers like the Greeks and Romans to the Arab era, which left behind remnants of architecture and urbanization, Tavira's history spans centuries.

The Santa Maria parish was established after the town was taken back from the Arabs by D. Paio Peres Correia's forces in 1242.

Tavira received its first town charter in 1266. It flourished as a major trading port during the Age of Discoveries, exporting wine, salt, dried fish, and other goods.

King Manuel I turned it into a city in 1520, but as trade routes changed and rivers became silted up, it began to decline. It was supported by agriculture, fishing, and salt production, and its affluent past is still evident in the stunning buildings that add to its allure today.

[1] Phoenician Ritual Wells; [2] Phoenician Wall; [3] Islamic Centre; [4] Islamic Walls and Towers of Tavira; [5] Almohade neighbourhood