CASTLES NORTH OF PORTUGAL www.portoenorte.pt Celorico de Basto Ponte de Lima 38 Castle of Arnoia 108 City Walls, Tower of São Paulo and Prison Tower Chaves 110 Palace of the Marquis 42 The Keep of the Castle of Chaves 44 Castle of St. Estevão Porto 46 Castle of Monforte de Rio Livre 112 Fernandine Wall of Porto Freixo de Espada à Cinta Póvoa de Lanhoso 50 “Torre do Galo” 116 Castle of Lanhoso Guimarães Santa Maria da Feira 54 Castle of Guimarães 120 Castle of Feira 57 City Walls of Guimarães Sernancelhe Lamego 124 “Porta do Sol” 60 Castle of Lamego Torre de Moncorvo Melgaço 128 Ruins of the Castle of Torre de 64 Castle of Melgaço Moncorvo 67 Castle of Castro Laboreiro 130 Castle of Mós Miranda do Douro Valença 70 Castle of Miranda do Douro 134 Remains of the Medieval Castle 136 Castle of Furnas general coordination Susana Matos 4 Presentation Mirandela Isabel Ferreira de Castro Vitor Sá 6 Map 74 Castle of Mirandela Vila Flor 140 Arch of D. Dinis technical coordination translation Arcos de Valdevez Mogadouro Paula Reis BabeliUM 8 Castle of Santa Cruz 78 Castle of Mogadouro Vila Nova de Cerveira Centro de Línguas da Universidade do Minho 11 Palace of Giela 81 Castle of Penas Róias 144 Castle of Cerveira technical team Pedro Botelho design Barcelos Monção Vila Nova de Foz Côa Sandra Martins Cristina Lamego 14 Castle of Faria 84 Castle of Monção 148 Castle of Numão 17 Wall and Tower of Porta Nova 86 Hill Castle of Penha da Rainha texts and photographs print 88 Lapela Tower Vila Pouca de Aguiar Municípios representados Lidergraf Braga 152 Castle of Aguiar Amândio Sousa Vieira 20 Castle Keep Montalegre Direnor legal deposit 92 Castle of Montalegre Vila Real Douro Alliance 441384/18 Bragança 156 Quintela Tower DRCN – autor Francisco Piqueiro 24 Castle of Bragança Paredes Elísio Rodrigues edition 27 Castle of Outeiro 96 Tower of the Castle of Aguiar de Vimioso Jose Costa Pinto tpnp©2018 Sousa 160 Castle of Algoso Marinho Paiva Duarte Caminha Miguel Costa 30 Castle, City Wall and 100 Penedono Vinhais Nuno Ferreira Clock Tower Castle of Penedono 164 Castle of Vinhais Paulo Pacheco Paulo Rodrigues Carrazeda de Ansiães 104 Ponte da Barca 168 Tourist Information Rota do Românico 34 Castle of Ansiães Castle of Lindoso 2 | CASTLES NORTH OF PORTUGAL 3 | CASTLES NORTH OF PORTUGAL With their imposing presence in the today they are shrouded in mystery landscapes, astonishing those more Portuguese territory, the Portuguese and romanticism. Stories of kings careless visitors. see their castles as the symbols of and knights, princesses imprisoned In the metropolitan area of ​​Porto, resistance and timelessness in which in castle keeps, forbidden love and Minho, Douro and Trás-os-Montes they take great pride. In Porto and in unusual legends involving giants and we welcome you at any time. Our the North of Portugal we are wraiths are just some of the castles await you as well. Some honoured by the concentration of a attractions these monuments have have been transformed into great number of examples of this to offer, which symbolize a region magnificent accommodation units, nation’s defensive bastions and with more than nine centuries of where you can live in a real fairy grateful for the beauty of the forms history - the cradle of Portugal. tale, and others into places of and diversity of styles of these walled Reasons to visit the castles of historical re-enactments, medieval structures that were bequeathed to northern Portugal abound: vigilant fairs, musical and pyrotechnic us by our ancestors. fortress-squares at the border with shows but, above all, places imbued Authentic founding milestones of the Spain; cities and villages surrounded with history with so much to tell nation, the castles were the scene of by medieval walls; beautiful historic and to be experienced... epic battles, defeats and reconquests centres within castle walls; of the sovereignty of the territory. ingenious cisterns; battlements with Although tragedy and death often cannons and castle keeps with occurred in these places in the past, sublime views over natural 4 | CASTLES NORTH OF PORTUGAL 5 | CASTLES NORTH OF PORTUGAL CASTLE OF SANTA CRUZ ARCOS DE VALDEVEZ In all likelihood Valdevez was the head of the entire Ribeira-Lima until the 12th century Deeply connected to the genesis of as a stimulus to the settlement of the lands of Valdevez, the populations. The new royal strategy of Romanesque castle of Santa Cruz, defence reinforcement and dynamics in Vila Fonche, assumes a role of based on border castles, undertaken particular interest in local history. from the 13th century onwards with In all likelihood Valdevez was the more complex structures (now head of the entire Ribeira-Lima holding a more offensive nature rather until the 12th century. It quickly than defensive), condemned the old took on a strategic position of real castles in such a way that in the support to a defensive line at the Enquiries of 1258 Santa Cruz had border with Galicia, based at the already been abandoned. At the site, Monção-Lindoso axis. It occupied by the giant granite block, it represented the rear of the castles is now possible to discern the general of Monção, Melgaço and Castro features of the former defensive Laboreiro. structure, with traces of the Arcos de Valdevez’s Judicial Office elementary, low wall, and the was originally based at the Castle foundations of the Castle Keep, of Santa Cruz - a physical support located at the highest point of the to the defence and security, as well granite outcrop. 8 | CASTLES NORTH OF PORTUGAL 9 | CASTLES NORTH OF PORTUGAL Palace OF GIela ARCOS DE VALDEVEZ The construction of the “tower house” of Giela marks a new era of protection, and manorial and royal domain over the area location The Palace of Giela is a remarkable several changes to the residential Monte do Castelo - Vila Fonche, Arcos de example of the medieval and body were made, which led to a Valdevez modern private civil architecture. period of decline and abandonment GPS: 41°50’58”N 8°26’48”W Its genesis is deeply linked to the from the 19th century onwards. In origin and formation of the land of 1999 the property was acquired by opening hours Valdevez. The construction of the the local authority. Today, the always open to the public “tower house” of Giela marks a property is undergoing new era of protection, and manorial rehabilitation works, which have contacts and royal domain over the area. already allowed its opening to the Casa das Artes de Arcos de Valdevez Nowadays, we can see the public in July 2015. It is worth Phone number:+351 258 520 520 medieval tower and the residential pointing out that the tower will email: [email protected] body with Manueline windows and host its main attraction (with a www.casadasartes-arcosdevaldevez. a fortified entrance. floor dedicated to it), the so-called blogspot.pt The tower was probably built in the “Battle of Valdevez” that occurred mid-14th century. The residential in 1141 when Afonso Henriques area was built in the late 15th opposed his cousin Alfonso VII of century, beginning of the 16th León and Castile, and which laid century, and completed in 1573. In down the foundations of the the 17th and 18th centuries independence of Portugal. 10 | CASTLES NORTH OF PORTUGAL 11 | CASTLES NORTH OF PORTUGAL Legends & Stories opening hours “Concertinas” (musical wind Legend of the Enchanted Moorish from Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00-18.00 instrument) of Giela closed on Monday Wood work Once upon a time there was a Tin work and oil lamps Moorish king. He lived in a beautiful contacts palace, on a high place called Giela, Casa das Artes de Arcos de Valdevez enjoy overlooking the peaceful valley Phone number:+351 258 520 520 Dramatization of the delivery of the through where the transparent Vez email: [email protected] Manueline Royal Charter to Valdevez River flows. www.casadasartes-arcosdevaldevez. 13 and 14 June The monarch had a very beautiful blogspot.pt Soajo Traditional Arts and Crafts daughter. One day the princess Fair managed to have one of her father’s visit From 31 July to 2 August horses harnessed and rode towards Monument dedicated to the Battle Festivals of Nossa Senhora da Lapa the river bank of Vez. Suddenly, upon of Valdevez (1141) From 6 to 10 August raising her eyes towards the Historic Centre of Arcos de opposite river bank, she saw a young Valdevez “papas de sarrabulho” (a sort of did you know that... knight coming out of the woods - a Church of Lapa (18th century) porridge with shredded pork meat Father Himalaya was born in Arcos de Christian warrior lost from his army. Pillory of Arcos de Valdevez (16th and blood), “charutos d’ovos” Valdevez in the 19th century and was One could say that a love arrow century) (typical sweet with almonds) with one of the greatest Portuguese struck both hearts. On that exact Casa das Artes (cultural centre) oranges of Ermelo, traditional scientists and inventors. He created moment, two dozen Moorish and Jardim dos Centenários honey cake, “Rebuçados dos Arcos” the Pyreliophorus, a remarkable solar soldiers emerged; the Knight fought (sweets), Vinhão (wine grape machine that won the Grand Prize of fiercely and then suddenly he discover variety), white Vinho Verde the Universal Exposition in St. Louis/ disappeared into the woods to save Palace of Giela USA (1903). himself. On that day, the princess Peneda-Gerês National Park/Porta experience The Battle of Valdevez that occurred swore that her heart will forever be do Mezio (Mezio Gateway) Porta do Mezio (Mezio Gateway) in 1141 was in fact a tournament/ his, of the knight with the blue eyes.