The place where the Viseu Cathedral was established in the late Middle Ages, was the target of excavations conducted by Inês Vaz, with the episcopal palace, which reveal a primitive temple, apparently triple apse, datable the Swabian-Visigoth period. In the process of Reconquista, have existed in this place two episcopal buildings, especially the tenth century, when Viseu was considered the capital of the vast territory between Mondego and Douro.

In the reign of King Dinis, and the city reached a golden age, it will result in a deep renovation of the building, even in the thirteenth century, under the jurisdiction of Bishop Egas. However, the 1383-1385 crisis was harmful to the works, and these terrified until after the crisis. Then, under the umbrella of the new Bishop John Vincent, the works would last for many years.

The Gothic Cathedral Viseense followed the original lines, with a body of three naves and three sections, thus bringing up a Romanesque more than gothic, typically spacious. Another inherent peculiarity is the fact that the monumentality of this cathedral has been obtained by the strength of its walls-walls.

Roman Walls

In a dominant position on a hill at the confluence of the river Pavia with the river Dan (tributaries of the river Mondego), fortification of the city is very old, having been established in a proper castle.

At the end of the third century, before the threat of invaders, it may have been reduced the perimeter of the wall to facilitate the defense of the village. It is believed to be perhaps a portion of this wall and a semi-circular turret which were discovered in March 2004 in Formosa Street, when the works of rehabilitation that pedestrian alley. These traces were musealized and are now visible through a glass plate laid at ground level. Were also discovered, associated with the wall, three graves of children, a coin and ceramic pieces.

Later, with the domain of the Visigoths from the sixth century, Viseu became a city, becoming the seat of the diocese, having been coined here Visigoth currency in the seventh century.

With the Muslim area of Al-Andalus, from the beginning of the following century, the city was known as Castro Vesense (vesi = Visigoth), remaining fortified.

At the time of the Christian Reconquista of the peninsula, the city was still achieved in the mid-eighth century by the forces of Alfonso I of Asturias, that left abandoned and seeks to ensure that it could come to serve as a support for new Muslim advances.

Reoccupied in the following centuries the possession range between Muslims and Christians, to taste the ebb and flow of the border line, until finally conquered by the forces of Ferdinand I, King of Leon and Castile (1057).

With the formation of the Portuguese Province, Viseu was, on several occasions, residence of the counts. After her husband’s death, Teresa granted the first charter to Viseu (1123). A new charter, alluding to the same diploma issued previously by D. Afonso Henriques (1112-1185), was passed in 1187 by D. Sancho I (1185-1211) and confirmed by Alfonso II (1211-1223), in 1217 . In this charter of King Sancho II is also made reference to the “old town”, as opposed to a new expanded core demographic and economically.

This village was abandoned a few years ago with only one inhabitant and the other homes in ruins. Has since recovered, rebuilt and became a tourist village where the houses, all in granite and the wooden interior, were kept in their original form. In the village there is a restaurant already well respected and press the various gastronomic specialties. There is also a swimming pool for the exclusive use of residents, as well as a tennis court and football.

The camp features an octagonal shape, bounded by strong slopes, with 2000 meters of perimeter and area of 38 hectares; in the spring faces north and west shows traces of a moat. Of the eight remaining slopes and are flyable six.

The Cava was traditionally considered a camp of the Roman era, built by Decimus Brutus Junius (137-136 a.) Or, according to Jorge Alarcão, by military leaders and Cassius Longinus Petreio in mid-century to. C .. More recently, Vasco Mantas, despite considering that within the Cava area there was a Roman camp, attributes its construction to the Arabs.

Only in the sixteenth century that is called the name of Cava de Viriato.

Little is known about the life of Viriato. Nothing is known of his date of birth or the exact place where he was born and the only reference to the location of his native tribe was taken by Greek historian Diodorus of Sicily who claims he was of the Lusitanian tribes.

Viriato belongs to the class of warriors, the occupation of the elite, the ruling minority. He was known to the Romans as the Duke’s army Lusitano, as adsertor (guard) of Hispania or as imperator probably the Confederation of the Lusitanian tribes and Celtiberas.

The Lusitanian Viriato honored with the titles of Benefactor, (Greek: evergetes), 17 and Savior, (Greek: soter), 18 the same honorifics used by the kings of the Ptolemaic dynasty.

He was described as a man who followed the principles of honesty and fair dealing and was recognized for being accurate and true to his word in treaties and alliances that fez.5 Diodorus said that the general opinion was that he had been the most beloved of all Lusitanian leaders.