Maria Antónia Amaral has a long career connected to heritage and was selected in the recruitment process EGEAC opened to manage one of the most emblematic national monuments with over 2 million visitors per year.
She has a degree in History, particularly Archaeology, and a specialisation in Municipal Cultural Affairs from the University of Coimbra. She did a curricular internship in Economics and Cultural Management at the Université Paris Dauphine in 2010 and worked as a senior technician in the Department of Studies, Projects, Works and Supervision of the Directorate General of Cultural Heritage.
In 1991, Amaral joined the Ministry of Culture’s Commission for the Inventory of Moveable Cultural Assets, working at the Grão Vasco National Museum, the Lamego Museum and the Machado de Castro National Museum. She worked as an archaeologist in the Regional Direction of IPPAR of Coimbra, in IGESPAR and the Regional Direction of Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, where she was Director of the Department of Cultural Assets. She ran several projects related to military architecture in medieval castles (Marialva, Pinhel and Alcanede) and two battlefields of the 1383-1385 crisis (Aljubarrota and Trancoso).
Her mission now is to propose and implement an integrated strategy that focuses on the study, conservation and cultural appreciation of the national monument, the growth of the public and the development of educational services.
CASTELO DE SÃO JORGE
The Castelo de São Jorge is a national monument, and it is part of the noble area of the old medieval citadel (alcáçova). It is comprised of the castle, the remains of the old royal palace and part of a residential area for elites. The fortification was built by the Muslims in the mid-11th century. After D. Afonso Henriques conquered Lisbon in 1147, and up until the beginning of the 16th century, Castelo de São Jorge was an important court space. The remains of the old royal palace and the Islamic citadel were rediscovered in the 20th century and several archaeological investigations at the end of the century confirmed the antiquity of the occupation at the top of the hill and the priceless historical value of Castelo de São Jorge.
