Flor da Rosa Castle's foundations date from the 13th century and were constantly being updated and enlarged through the following centuries

The Flor da Rosa Castle-Monastery was the Iberian head-quarters of the Malta Order or, the Hospitaller Order of Knight-Monks, which participated in the Jerusalem crusades mainly as medical staff and less as warriors.

Its foundations go back to the 13th century being updated and enlarged through the following centuries. There are three main steps in this evolution. The first is the original gothic castle area in the left part dating from the 13/14th century. The second is the monumental right area with an impressive Gothic/Manuelino style (16th century) with the church reaching a height of 27 meters (about 100ft.). And the third dates from the 17th century. It’s the new rooms for the monks in the back of the monastery which already had by that time a system of air-conditioning!

This order and monastery are closely connected to Portugal’s history because from it came D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, a knight that defended Portugal’s independence in the 1383-1385 crisis, when the Spanish tried to invade Portugal. He defeated a seven times stronger army with only a bunch of peasants and strategy geniality!

Later, in the dynastic crisis of 1580 – 1640, the prior of the order at the time, D. António, appeared as the only candidate to claim the Portuguese throne, but without the success of D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, becoming Portugal occupied by the Spanish for 60 years.

Heavily damaged in the massive 1755 earthquake, it partially collapsed in the 19th century, being rebuilt during the 1940’s. Nowadays it is converted into a Historical Inn of Portugal.