The mayor of Albufeira stresses that the project, valued at almost €600.000, is an “investment towards conserving the municipality’s material heritage.

Last Tuesday, December 13, José Carlos Rolo, mayor of Albufeira, met with the Regional Director of Culture of the Algarve, Adriana Nogueira and the company responsible for the conservation and restoration of the Almóada modules of the Paderne Castle to sign the respective consignment document.

With a global investment valued at €591.190, the project reaches its second phase after completing the Albarrana tower conservation project (first phase). The City Council is contributing 40 per cent of the value of the contract, around €210.000.

This second phase of restoration is scheduled to begin in January 2023 and will last eight months. The work will ensure the recovery of part of the northeast-facing wall in front of the Albarrana tower and the entrance door.

Paderne Castle is a property of public interest due to its characteristics, architectural solutions and the singularities of the fortification built in a very troubled period of History.

This monument has revealed important discoveries that have contributed to knowledge of the Islamic period. For example, the castle results from an urban project previously designed and defined, structured from a main street from which parallel side streets ran. It had complex rainwater and wastewater draining systems, and the old Muslim houses were organised in blocks, with architectural characteristics of Mediterranean houses.

The mayor of Albufeira stresses that “this is an investment towards the conservation of the municipality’s material heritage. It considers the Castle’s historical and cultural relevance for the municipality.”