The Synagogue is located at Rua Jewry / Fountain Street, the building is oriented towards east / west.

The entire assembly consists of a single volume, with two floors.

Commonly called “Synagogue”, but with the appropriate name of “BEIT-HA – midrash-SEFARDIN”.

Laws enacted by Lusitanian monarchs in order to create “Ghettos”, where only Jews lived, led to the appearance of neighborhoods, also known as the  Judiarias or “Jewish quarters”.

The Castelo de Vide Jewry occupied an area near the main door of the Castle, between the market and the Fonte da Vila. Extended through the medieval streets of the Source, the market, the Arçario, Jorge Mestre and Jewry, and by the current Street of Locksmiths and New Street.

In Castelo de Vide Jewry developed on the slopes of the village facing the east. Although established in one of the hilly areas, the neighborhood was crossed by a major axis castle communication with the outside and vice versa. The Jewish presence in Castelo de Vide left some material evidence that is especially relevant where the building is thought to have worked the Medieval Synagogue. Other buildings of the Jewry Street, Fountain Street or Ruinha Jewry also show that remains of the Jewish ancient tradition to mark their faith on their doorposts.

The establishment of the Inquisition and the publication of the Edict of Expulsion of the Jews from Spain realms by Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic Kings, contributed to the growth of the Castelo de Vide Jewry that keeps the place names of its streets the testimony of Jewish presence, but also the persecution of the Holy Office to the New Christians.

Following its conquest by Alfonso I in the 1160s, and its brief recapture by Almohads in the 1190s, Marvão’s situation remained fragile around the start of the 13th century: it was listed among Portuguese territories only in the termo of Castelo Branco in 1214. Marvão was a recently conquered outpost, that needed to be fully integrated into Portugal, and which stood on the edge of territories conquered by an expansionist Kingdom of León.

The process of Portuguesification began under the reigns of kings Sancho I and Alfonso II. Yet it was the famous Christian victory over the Almohads at Navas de Tolosa (near Jaén) in 1212 – leaving 100,000 Moors dead – that would effectively secure this area of south-western Iberia, and establish a lasting peace. The São Mamede mountains and Guadiana valleys now became a bridgehead from which the reconquista could make strong inroads into Almohad territory in the Southern Alentejo, Algarve, Southern Extremadura and north-west Andalusia.

Marvão’s role as fortress now became more important not as a Christian or Moorish outpost-against-the-infidel, but as a territorial marker for the young – and by no means militarily strong – state of Portugal against the competing Christian Kingdom of León. In 1226, Marvão was among the earliest towns on the eastern border to receive from Sancho II of Portugal its foral (i.e. royal charter, allowing the town to regulate its administration, borders and privileges).

Another aspect of 13th century statecraft that would bolster the area’s ‘Portugalidade’ (Portuguese identity) would be the settlement of planted Christian colonists from the north (Galicia, the Minho), southern France and Flanders in territories around Marvão. This was done with royal approval, and with the intermediation of the Templars and Hospitallers.

The resettlement of barren areas depopulated by centuries of warfare and bloodshed – or simply abandoned by fleeing Berber refugees – was vital to sustain the new Portuguese kingdom. Many of these settlers were Galicians, and the name of the hamlet of Galegos in Marvão is likely to refer to its 13th–14th century settlers. Other nearby settlements took names from southern France: in the nearby Templar-controlled village of Nisa (Nice), we find hamlets named Tolosa (Toulouse),Montalvão (Montauban) and Arez (Arles) to denote the origins of their settlers.

Perhaps the most important development for Marvão at this time was the donation of borderlands to the military orders. The Templars, strong allies of Alfonso I, had during the 12th century been given lands north of the Tagus, including their headquarters in  Tomar and Castelo Branco, Also given broad responsibility to secure the river passage . In 1199, Sancho I of Portugal awarded lands to the north of Marvão (the Herdade da Açafa).

These extended across the present-day districts of Castelo de Vide and Nisa and into territories near Valencia de Alcántara that now lie in Spain. In 1232, Sancho II of Portugal donated further extensive domains south of the Tagus around Marvão and Portalegre to the Knights Hospitaller, along with the duty to fortify the frontier and help in its repopulation. The Hospitallers would dominate the administration of the region for two centuries, moving their Portuguese headquarters from Leça in Northern Portugal to nearby Crato in 1340.

Much of the architecture to be admired today in Marvão can be attributed to the guiding hand of the Hospitallers in extending the castle and village in the 13th-15th centuries. Hospitaller (Maltese) crosses can be seen on houses throughout Marvão’s walled village, including the door of the church that is the Municipal Museum.

Considered one of the most complete medieval Portuguese military architecture, stands isolated on top of a granite hill, west to the town, in a dominant position on the confluence of Belver river with the right bank of the Tagus river, manning the so-called Line Tagus.

At the time of the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian peninsula, a wave of assaults forces the Almohad Caliphate under the Caliph Abu Yusuf Ya’qub command al-Mansur, determined the retreat of Christian boundaries to the line of the Tagus River (1190-1191) . In this context, in 1194, Sancho I (1185-1211) donated the region between the river Zêzere and the River Tagus, called Guidintesta, Guidi in forehead or Costa, the Prior of the Knights Hospitaller, Afonso Pais, for there to build a castle, called Belver by the monarch.

In 1210, when King Sancho I wrote his will, the Hospitallers received significant part of the heritage. It is believed that the castle was completed between sometime between 1210 and 1212.

During the reign of Sancho II of Portugal (1223-1248) the royal treasure was kept here.

Between 1336 and 1341, the village of Belver and its castle were one of the most important Commanderies the Hospital Order.

The 1755 earthquake caused severe damages and was abandoned for many years, being used as the town cemetery during the 19th Century.

Was after the 1909 quake that the authorities took measure into their own hands and in 1910 was considered National Monument. And it has been reconstructed since 1940 till 2005.

The Castle of Belver is located in Belver at the Gavião municipality and Portalegre District.