In a dominant position on the western slope of the Caramulo mountains, this is one of three stately towers still exist in the county, and that is in a better condition.

The early human occupation of this website is earlier than nationality, allowing its toponym inferred to have been occupied by Muslims.

At the time of affirmation of nationality, was Couto, as last letter by D. Afonso Henriques (1112-1185) in 1134, later confirmed privilege, in 1146.

It is estimated that this tower was built in the late fourteenth century or early fifteenth century.

A Legend of the Tower

A local legend says that this tower has a tunnel that goes to Monte Gralheiro and will have whipped Christian soldiers fighting with the Moors.

Currently, can only be visited on the outside, thus protecting the valuable assets it holds. Enter your booty collected during the excavations, have become numerous fragments of pottery related either to the initial use of the monument, as its subsequent reuse bell. The same can be said of chipped lithic objects and polished that there were identified.

In a dominant position on the town, this small medieval structure is in a mix of defensive fortification and residential place.

During the eleventh century, at the mercy of the ebb and flow of Christian borders, Penedono and its castle changed hands several times. Its final reconquest was due to the action of the King Leonean Fernando Magno (1064). An inventory of the property of Guimarães Monastery, issued in 1095, relates the Penedono Castle among other goods previously postulated by D. Chamoa. With the political emancipation of Portugal, its areas have been incorporated into the new nation. Sancho I (1185-1211), compared to the strategic situation of Penedono, near the border line, encouraged the repopulation of these lands through Foral (1195) at the same time determining the reconstruction of their defenses. His successor, Alfonso II (1211-1223) confirmed his charter in 1217. The town and its castle also had the attention of King Dinis (1279-1325), which determined him reinforcements in defense.

The current configuration of the castle dates back to the late fourteenth century, when Ferdinand (1367-1383) included the village in Trancoso term. Given the intention of the City Council to raze the castle of Penedono, the good men of this village rose up, achieving their autonomy.

Its existence has been documented in the nineteenth century. D. Afonso Henriques donated in 1163, the widow of Egas Moniz, Teresa Alfonso the couto of Algeriz, adding the territory of Ucanha. The bridge must have been built by the Romans, following a road that passed nearby. Teresa Alfonso, founder of the Monastery of Santa Maria de Salzedas, donated to the convent couto had received from the king and were monks who benefited most from the old bridge converted to a considerable source of revenue for the toll charges that would be charged.

In the thirteenth century was cited in inquiries of 1258. The archaeological site is shared by two neighboring municipalities: Castro Daire and Cinfães. According to some authors, the site attests scarce traces of a fortified settlement from the Iron Age, which can be considered as part of the Celtic culture. The “castro” will then been reused by the Romans and during the Reconquista, by D. Afonso Henriques (note that some surrounding land have belonged to Egas Moniz).

The term doors have appeared officially for the first time in the charter of Bustelo village, granted in the thirteenth century and is also known as the Western Wall Doors or simply Wall, by hunters and shepherds passing through the site and will relate, perhaps the passage of transhumant herds of Serra da Estrela. There is a chapel near the site, a typical attitude of adopting the Christian religion of sacred sites or supposedly sacred pagan era.

Built in a dominant position on a hill in the northwest part of the Caramulo mountains, is one of the remaining medieval towers in the county.

From the top you could see Vouzela and much of the Lafões valley.

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.

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.