Torre do Jogo da Péla

Standing near Martim Moniz, you're looking at one of the last surviving towers from a massive medieval wall that once protected this entire neighborhood from attack. The Torre do Jogo da Péla dates back to the 1370s, when King Fernando I ordered the construction of a new defensive wall around the expanding city. This fortification, known as the Fernandina Wall, stretched over 5 kilometers and included 77 towers like this one. It was built to protect the growing population that had spilled beyond the older Moorish walls.

The tower's curious name comes from a ball game called "jogo da péla" that locals played against its thick stone walls for centuries. Think of it as medieval handball, where the tower itself became part of the court. When the city modernized in the 19th and 20th centuries, most of the Fernandina Wall was torn down to make room for new streets and buildings.

The Martim Moniz area saw particularly dramatic changes during this period. Yet somehow, this tower survived the demolition. What you see here is authentic 14th century stonework, built when these walls meant survival during sieges and invasions. The tower stands as a rare physical connection to medieval times, when this spot marked the edge of the defended city.