Castle of Silves

The Silves Cathedral (Portuguese: Sé Catedral de Silves) is a former cathedral in the city of Silves, in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. A mosque, built during the Moorish rule of the Iberian Peninsula, was originally located in its current place, and was later mostly restructured and converted into a Catholic cathedral after the Reconquista. Although having some Baroque characteristics, it is mostly Gothic in nature and it is considered to be the main Gothic monument in the Algarve and one of the most important landmarks in southern Portugal. It was classified as a national monument on June 29, 1922.

Silves (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈsilvɨʃ] ) is a city and municipality in the Portuguese region of Algarve, in southern Portugal. The population of the entire municipality of Silves in 2011 was 37,126, in an area of 680.06 km2. The urbanized area of the city proper has approximately 11,000 inhabitants. Silves is the former capital of the Kingdom of the Algarve (1249–1910), a nominal kingdom within the Kingdom of Portugal (1139-1910), and is of great historical importance.

The Taifa of Silves (Arabic: طائفة شلب) was an Arab taifa kingdom that existed in what is now southern Portugal for two distinct periods: from 1027 to 1063, and again from 1145 to 1150, when it was finally conquered by the Almohad Caliphate. The taifa occupied the westernmost part of the presently Portuguese region of Algarve, near Cape St. Vincent, with its capital in Silves. Starting from 1048, the power was held by the family of the Banu Muzayn, including three emirs: Isa II al-Muzaffar (1048–1053), Muhammad II al-Nasir (1053–1058), and Isa III al-Muzaffar (1058–1063). Under the latter the kingdom was conquered by the more powerful taifa of Seville, led by Abbad II al-Mu'tadid. During the so-called second taifa period, which followed the fall of the Almoravid dynasty, Silves was the seat of a second, ephemeral taifa, which lasted from 1145 to 1150, when it was conquered by the Almohads.

Silves is a railway station on the Algarve line which serves Silves, Portugal. It opened on the 1st of February 1902.

Vale da Lama is a closed halt on the Algarve line in the Lagoa municipality, Portugal. It opened on the 1st of February 1902.

Vala, originally spelt Valla, is a closed halt on the Algarve line in the Silves municipality, Portugal. It is part of the section from Silves to Ferragudo, which opened on the 15th of February 1903.

Deutsche Schule Algarve (DSA; Portuguese: Escola Alemã do Algarve is a German international school in Silves, Algarve, Portugal. It serves grundschule (primary school) until grades 11–12.

The Parque Municipal das Fontes (the Municipal Park of the Springs), or Fontes de Estômbar (The Estômbar Springs), is a park surrounding a major spring situated on the left bank of the estuary of the Arade River, north of the town of Estômbar, in Lagoa Municipality. The park, formally created in 1989, consists of about de 18 ha (180.000 m2) and is an important ecosystem site reserved for those interested in nature. Use of the area began as a picnic site, overlooking the Arade River as it passes from Silves Municipality down to the Atlantic. The park now has a restored watermill, open for visits, a reconstructed Algarve house, an open-air amphitheater, and an area for physical fitness exercise. The site is also historically and culturally important since vestiges of human activities dating back to pre-historic times have been found here. A watermill is documented in the "Livro do Almoxarifado de Silves" (15th century), which records an "... açenha das fontes em que fez Vicente Pirez huu moynho ..." (a "scene [= site] of springs where Vicente Pirez has a mill"). In more recent times the site has been used by the local population for recreational purposes, the commemoration of festivals, and for interaction with nature. As well the pools created by the springs are used for bathing.

Poço Barreto is a halt on the Algarve Line in the Silves municipality, Portugal. It was opened on the 19th of March de 1900, and served as terminus for the railway line until the 1st of February 1902, when the section to Silves was opened.

Estômbar is a town in the civil parish of Estômbar e Parchal, in the municipality (concelho) of Lagoa, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 4,985, in an area of 24.21 km2. It is situated just west of the city of Lagoa itself. Its civil status was raised to that of a town on August 16, 1991. Estômbar is mainly as a bedroom community for Portimão, and many of its residents travel daily across the Rio Arade to work in the neighboring municipality. Inhabitants are known as Estombarense.

Estômbar-Lagoa railway station (Portuguese: Estação Ferroviária de Estômbar-Lagoa) is a railway station on the Algarve line which serves Lagoa Municipality and is located in Estômbar, Portugal. It opened on the 15th of February 1903.