A REGION THAT INSPIRES.
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Walled all around, the historical centre of Sortelha has four gates that allowed the connection with the outside world: Porta da Vila or Porta do Concelho, Porta Nova, Porta Falsa and the small Porta da Traição, located in the castle. Here we are taken on a journey back more than 800 years to the medieval era due to the almost untouched state of its medieval layout, castle and walls.
In the two-storey building, explanatory panels show the relationship of this border region with the Jews and crypto-Jews (supposedly Christians because they were baptised but professed the Jewish faith in secret). The House also has some graphic contents accompanied by texts that evoke the presence of Jewish communities in this old town.
Belmonte is the only Peninsular community to legitimately inherit the ancient historical presence of Sephardic Jews and the oldest in Portugal. The Jewish Museum enhances this and aims to be a unique educational and teaching space about Judaism, the culture of the Jewish people, their integration into Portuguese society, their contribution to culture, art, literature, commerce, and crafts, as well as the culture and religion of the Jews, their rituals and customs, in the synagogue and at home. Founded in 2005, the museum is filled with pieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Genuine pieces that were used by Jews, New Christians and their descendants in religious acts, daily life and professional activity.
Housed in a building dating from 1883, opened in 2003 the Sabugal Museum aims to protect and safeguard the historical and cultural heritage of the territory, to present, value and promote different forms of artistic expression and knowledge giving primary importance to those related to Sabugal. The permanent exhibition tells the story of the human occupation of the lands of Riba Côa, where a significant part of the archaeological heritage is on display, coming from private donations and deposits, loans from other museums, and from the prospections and excavations carried out in recent years in the municipality.
It is estimated that it was built by order of D. Sancho I in the 12th century, but it underwent many changes, the most notable being the construction of panoramic windows, one of them in Manueline style, and bastions in the years when it had a military function. With so many changes, the construction of Belmonte Castle integrates an unusual miscellany of architectural styles - Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, and 18th century traces. Currently, the building has tourist and cultural functions, an open-air amphitheater was built and the Keep and 19th-century room were adapted to museum spaces dedicated to the history of the County and the Castle.
A tower of Roman foundation, originally used as a temple, the Torre de Almofala is probably a Romanesque vestige from the 10th century. An interpretative centre has been created that relies on new technologies to divulge the history and where the findings of archaeological excavations are displayed.
Also referred to as the Castelo das Cinco Quinas (Castle of the Five Corners), due to the unusual shape of its pentagonal keep, it is believed to have been commissioned by King Dinis at the same time as he granted it its charter at the end of the 13th century. It served its military function once in a while, but also as a prison, having been abandoned and its walls dismantled for the construction of several houses in the town and the castle's square of arms began to serve as a cemetery, all this in the 19th century, and only in the 1940s of the 20th century was it possible to stop this degradation.
The Ferreiros Tower, one of the most emblematic structures belonging to the city wall, probably dates back to the late 18th and early 14th centuries. Inside, there are three doors, one of which is in guillotine (one of the few that exist in Portugal) that guaranteed the safety of the town because they made the tower impregnable.
Museum where the heritage that characterises the territory from prehistoric times to the present day is emphasised. The visit starts through the reproduction of the cave paintings and engravings of the Côa Valley, then the archaeological materials of Prado Galego and the reference to the Argomil milestone are evidences that help to understand the Roman occupation of this territory. The Medieval period is presented through interactive elements where it is possible to learn facts and instruments that justify the importance of Pinhel in the context of the formation of the national territory. The visit to the Municipal Museum ends at the present time, a present experienced through the testimonies of the people of Pinhel.
Ermo das Águias marks an important transition in the river valley landscape: the gentle slopes that flanked the river from its source come to an end and the cliffs and escarpments that will lead it to its mouth in the River Douro begin. When walking the trails, the sensation is of being in a wild place, with the possibility of contemplating wild animals.
With more than 200 pieces donated by residents, the permanent exhibition "Arts and Crafts" aims to show the history of ancient professions, the richness of their existence and production, their tasks and their social and anthropological value. It features objects from the daily life of ancestors with the goal of disseminating and preserving memories of the region's way of life, also showing its evolution.
The Picadeiro D' el Rey is a space dedicated to the practice of horseback riding, playing an important touristic role, by providing carriage rides or horse rides through the Historic Centre of Almeida and its respective walls, giving new dreams and new paths towards Equestrian Tourism.
Away from the urban centre, Chapel of Mileu is one of the oldest monuments in Guarda. Possibly with Visigothic roots, it is today an example of the transition period from the Romanesque to the Gothic. It stands out as an important point on the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela.
The building that is popularly called the Esnoga (also the Clock House) dates back to the 16th century and it is possible that it once served as a secret synagogue. However, it is totally devoid of the elements traditionally associated with a synagogue, as inside it looks like an ordinary dwelling house, but this could be to deter the inquisitors.
The museum brings together various pieces that were given to the secretary-general of the United Nations when he was prime minister. António Guterres decided to donate the pieces to the land where he lived as a child. The House of Memories Museum is located in front of his grandparents' house where he spent many days of his childhood vacations.
It was called Castillo de La Luna because it seemed to be near the moon and must have been built in the 12th or already in the 13th century. The castle played a valuable role in the defence of the national territory during the French Invasions and is an excellent example of Romanesque-Gothic square-shaped military architecture, with the citadel well guarded by a double belt of walls.
Here you can learn about the morphology of the land surrounding the river, the fauna and flora that depend on it along its entire 240 km course, from the source to the mouth, where it flows into the Tagus. The exhibition is divided into three parts: Childhood, Youth, and Adulthood - the time when the waters are diluted in the Tagus River. It is also possible to learn about the main threats to the river and its ecosystems.
Marialva Castle is one of the most singular ruins of Portuguese castles. The line of walls interrupted by two wickets and two gates (the gate of the Guardian Angel and the gate of Monte) hide a cluster of ruins: the Paçom Alcáçova, the Town Hall, the Jail and the Court, as well as the pillory, the cistern, the Keep, two churches and five towers.
Late-Gothic chapel with a longitudinal plan, rectangular nave and square altar. The portico of the chapel is attributed to Nicolau Chanterenne and has two medallions representing St. Peter and St. Paul. Inside, the nine paintings of the three-tiered altarpiece and the white and green Quinhentist tile covering stand out.
The Sítio do Vale do Mouro, in Coriscada, in the municipality of Mêda, has been the target of archaeological surveys since 2003, and until then, Roman baths, a tiled patio with figurative elements, spearheads, ceramics, coins, construction elements, among others, were discovered.
It is a Catholic temple whose 18th century ex-vows in the chapel made Saramago go to Sabugal in his Journey to Portugal, but he returned discouraged not to have seen them. The ex-vows of Our Lady of Grace are now properly restored and exposed in the chapel of the sanctuary for those who want to see these authentic masterpieces of sacred art and some of them dedicated to Our Lady of Grace, in which the miracle she granted a nun, affected with cancer in a breast, but who was saved by divine intervention, is thanked.
The remarkable Casa Grande gained the appearance it has today in the second half of the 18th century, when the then owner, José Manuel Amaral, had it rebuilt and extended, transforming the old manor house into a noble house, giving it the Baroque face. On the main façade there is a coat of arms and on the south façade a chapel with 19th century fresco paintings depicting the Annunciation and the Adoration of the Three Kings on the walls. Its gilded carved altar of Joanine style and the coffered ceiling were sold, and its fate is unknown. It was sold in 2007 and according to the current owner is being restored according to the original style.
It is still linked to the presence of the Order of the Knights Templar and is currently partially in ruins. Built on a rocky outcrop on the eastern slope of the so-called Serra da Gardunha, the Castelo Novo Castle is an example of military architecture in the Gothic and Manueline styles, has a bell tower and keep, and two doors, one of them of the "cubelo" type on which the machetes are kept.
A candelabra that celebrates one of the main Jewish festivals and is marked "by a family atmosphere and great joy". A nine-armed candelabra is used, with the lighting of one candle per day, recalling the eight days when the flame burned miraculously, as described in the Old Testament.
This castle would have previously been a Lusitanian fortification. However, it was the Romans who made it grow militarily. During the reign of King Dinis, fortification and enlargement work was carried out, and only the wall with the adarve, cubels, five medieval doors and two sturdy square towers have survived to the present day.
The history of the Jewish presence in the county is now inventoried and documented in this interpretive centre, named in honour of Ephraim Bueno, a Jew born in Castelo Rodrigo, who was a doctor, physicist and writer with great relevance at the court of the Netherlands.
It is a residential building, constituted by two floors and a chapel, consecrated in 1770. This medieval nucleus later became a manor house, where the marks of the evolution of domestic manor architecture are visible. The interior still preserves large halls with paper-covered walls, some wooden ceilings and an atrium with 19th century tiles.
It is an old village of marked medieval features and is composed of two very distinct nuclei: the old village, of original foundation, composed of a castle, a church in ruins and traces of medieval town planning, all of them surrounded by a 12th century wall; and the new village, or Arrabalde de S. Pedro, protected by a wall built during the reign of D. Dinis, of marked gothic characteristics, and strongly affected by the 1755 earthquake.
A Romanesque-style Catholic temple, it is thought to have been built between the 13th and 14th centuries and remodelled in the 16th century in order to adapt it to the functions required by the Santa Casa da Misericórdia. Built with a rectangular plan, single nave and lower and narrower chancel, it has a straight lintel window and a full arch inside.
The Houe of the Tower was built in the early fourteenth century and at the time served as the residence of the bishops of Guarda. It rises with great splendor in the urban landscape of the town, thus demonstrating the great power of political and religious institutions since Roman times until today. Today it is a Center for Archaeological Studies. In its three floors we find archaeological pieces collected from various places in the municipality of Belmonte: on the first floor are on display finds from the medieval and Roman periods, with many coins, decorative objects, aras, personal, decorative, hunting and war utensils; on the second floor the exhibition goes from the fifteenth century to the nineteenth century; and on the top floor there is a restoration workshop.
This house dates back to the 19th century and played a fundamental social role in sheltering abandoned children. The "wheel" was a revolving mechanism where families left their children, ensuring the anonymity of the child and of the person delivering him/her.
CEAMA functions as an interpretation centre by means of explanatory and illustrative panels, and didactic materials that allow the visitor a visit with particular focus on military architecture; and as a centre of historical appreciation and support for research.
It is from this viewpoint that one can see the landscape of the rocky hills of the region, where the Barrocos hide, huge stones associated with legends: the Barroco da Picota resembles a bird; the Barroco das Lages seems to defy gravity in not falling and it is said that an enchanted Moor is hidden inside.
It is located in the old Judiaria and is very popular with Jews and the curious to learn more about the Jewish community. Inaugurated 500 years after the expulsion of Jews decreed by D. Manuel, this synagogue, besides being oriented towards Jerusalem, has a representation of a candelabra on the door, as well as a Star of David.
It is an authentic monumental space where it is important to highlight the old walls, the ruins of the Palace of Cristóvão de Moura, the five hundred year old pillory, the main church, the medieval cistern and the vestiges that confirm the existence of New Christians.
It is a simple building of popular architecture, with only one floor and that conserves on the access door the following inscription: "IHVS AVE MA" - Jesus Ave Maria. The construction must date back to the 15th / 16th century, bearing in mind the bevelled doorposts and the inscription in Gothic cursino.
The Roman ruins of Vila da Fórnea are a monumental complex dating back to the 2nd century, built with various divisions, some of which are still well defined, namely olive oil and wine presses, cereal processing, iron foundry, animal stables. Also uncovered were some thermal baths, with the traditional tanks, which would allow for baths of different temperatures, as well as vestiges of the hypocaust and apoditerium which would complete the equipment of a thermal bath and various compartments related to the dwelling of the owners and their dependents.
The urban complex is organized around three poles corresponding to the construction phases of the town: 9th to 12th century, 12th to 19th century, and 15th to 18th century. The Belmonte Castle, the Church of São Tiago and the Chapel of Cabrais, and the pillory are central monuments of the Belmonte Historical Center.
It houses a significant part of the work of José Manuel Soares, a painter born in 1932 in Odmira. The first rooms display the life and work of the artist, with information about his life path, exhibitions and some awards. It is divided into three parts:
-Illustration: reflects the taste for drawing that formed the basis of his artistic path;
-History of Portugal, where events and characters of the formation of the nationality, the consolidation of independence and the maritime discoveries are presented;
-Landscapes and Monuments, which portray the "rural country" of the 60's and 70's of the 20th century and the monuments, drawn and painted in different artistic techniques, give us the perception of the monumentality that characterizes the territory of Portugal and the importance that these patrimonies still have today.
The Guarda Cathedral, commissioned during the reign of King João I, was only completed 150 years later, creating the perfect symbiosis between Gothic and Manueline. The interior has a magnificent chancel in Ançã stone, made by the Coimbra workshop of João de Ruão, and is the greatest work of erudite sculpture of the later Renaissance period.
Born in Castelo Novo, Manuela Justino was considered one of the most original artists of the 2nd half of the 20th century, having managed to transmit the connection between different scales and artistic territories, as a painter and sculptor. The Manuela Justino Art Gallery is thus constituted as her artistic memory, assuming itself as a new element of valorisation of the historical and cultural path of the Historic Village of Castelo Novo.
Residents say that men should not be in the castle after dark, under the penalty of succumbing to the sensual pleasures of the Moorish women and disappearing forever. On the way up to the castle is the Forca dos Lusitanos, the Poio do Gato, the gorge on the banks of the river Côa, and with good luck you may come across some open-air rock carvings. At the top of the walk, you will find a Bronze Age (13th to 10th century BC) Castro, once walled, which is the centre point of the place that looks more like an open-air museum due to its great archaeological, landscape and natural wealth.
The Old Episcopal Palace dates back to the late eighteenth century that, with the extinction of the Diocese of Pinhel, in 1882, was acquired by the City Council that assigned it to different functions. Now it gives way to the Casa da Cultura, where the José Manuel Soares Museum and the Pinhel Municipal Museum are also located.
The José Monteiro Archaeological Museum, housed in the beautiful manor house of Taborda Tavares d'Elvas dates back to the eighteenth century. It is a museum focusing on Prehistory, Proto-History and the Roman period, with a specialized library in Archaeology and History.
Dating from the 18th century, it has some Romanesque features and a Baroque façade. It has a choir, unique in Portugal, which is based on an arch consisting of 26 S-shaped stones, except for the central one which resembles a heart. The main altar is embellished with baroque carvings and the 16th century image of St. Vincent stands out in particular.
The Faia Brava Nature Reserve has the purpose of safeguarding the environment, natural resources and the conservation of endangered species. The reserve is open to all, however it is recommended that the visit is accompanied for a more complete experience.
It was the first private nature reserve to be classified by the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests.
Built in the mid-13th century, the Church of São Tiago and Cabrais Chapel are an important testimony of the late Romanesque in Beira Interior. Inside, one can observe a granite Pietá and wall paintings from at least two eras, and one can find traces of a triptych built by figures representing Our Lady, St. James (orago) and St. Peter. The Cabrais Chapel, or Cabrais Pantheon, is where the tombs of several members of the Cabral family are, such as the tombs of Pedro Álvares Cabral's parents.
This Environmental Education Centre includes buildings with pedagogical and technical functions, laboratories and nurseries, as well as an educational vegetable garden. Here actions are carried out with schools, guided visits to the forest nursery and didactic workshops.
It is a curious and unique stone monument built around the year I A.D. This tower is 12 meters high and has three partial stories, whose function is still not clear. Some of the hypotheses are that it may have been a temple, a prison, a patretorium (a general's tent or central area of a Roman camp), a mansio (inn) or even a Roman villa.
The Double Doors of San Francisco are among the most beautiful in the country and have a peculiar decoration. Both serve to guide the visitor, directing him to the Sala de Armas at the entrance to the Plaza-forte and to the Almeida History and Military Museum. In the case of the Magistral Gate, the bomb-proof covering with compartments for troops and officers stands out.
Of Roman and/or lower middle age origin, these rectangular-shaped caterpillars dug into the rock were mainly used for treading grapes. Orientated towards the east, as tradition dictates, they are situated right next to the municipal 535 road, and are well identifiable even without entering the private grounds.
Sabugal Archaeological Site corresponds to the ruins of Sabugal Velho and the remains cover the whole of the top of a small relief, indicating that Sabugal Velho is one of the fundamental archaeological sites for the study and understanding of the proto-history of Beira Interior and the Leonian presence in the lands of Riba-Côa. The settlement has been rehabilitated to be visited by the population and the materials from the archaeological campaigns are on display in the current Museu Municipal do Sabugal, and are one of its main attractions.
The Welcome Center in Belmonte aims to be a space of excellence in welcoming all those who visit us. This tourist office has a contemporary decoration concept, using minimalist furniture, in order to be a space with several valences beyond the welcoming of tourists, such as gastronomic exhibitions, product launches and presentation of literary works, among others. The space is also equipped with an exhibition room.
A Cistercian monastery, it is a fine example of early Gothic architecture, with simplistic elements that well characterise the sobriety of the buildings occupied by the Cistercian Order. Although badly damaged by the French invasions, the church with baroque high altar still remains, with the monks' wing, the sacristy and the Chapter hall still preserved, a dining hall wall and the guesthouse building.
Solar de São João da Praça was built in 1726 by one of the most important families of Riba Côa, Colonel of Infantry José Delgado Freire and D. Maria de Azevedo. Each room, with its collection, recreates authentic environments from the past of a military house. There are pieces for all tastes, materials and sizes that arouse curiosity due to their unprecedented decorative arts in Portugal.
The origin of the castle of Vilar Maior may be Arabic, or even Roman. Irregular oval plan, with monumental keep of square plan, adjoined to the wall covered by adarve and with cistern. Nowadays the castle is in ruins, but there are still the keep and traces of the town's walls, such as the arch of one of the gates.
It is the most important monument of military architecture in the municipality. The exact date of its construction is not known, but it is thought to date from before the 1209 charter of Afonso IX of León. The fortification has undergone many alterations over the years and it was after the reforms of King Dinis that the castle was surrounded by a barbican, which meant that access to the inside of the fortress had to be made via an enclosed route. King Manuel I ordered the restoration of the walls again after some years, and it was only in 1922 that this monument was recognised as a National Monument. It underwent its final restoration in 1940.
Miradouro do Cristo Rei or the Observation Point of Christ the King of Marofa has views that seem to reach infinity. At the top of the observation point there is an imposing image (6 metres high) of Cristo Rei da Marofa, and the simple Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Fátima.
Built in the 16th century, it has a granite facade and an elegant arched doorway topped by a small spyglass. The interior decoration is from the 18th century, with a gilded carved altar and several well worked images. Among the liturgical objects is a painted clay image of St. John the Baptist Child and the silver reliquary with the relic of the Holy Cross.
A multipurpose central space of the town, versatile and comfortable for residents and visitors. There is a small water feature, flanked by a small bar and a mini amphitheatre; areas that enhance the practice of sports, basketball, beach volleyball and table tennis and also recreation and leisure through the existence of tables and benches, a space for the practice of traditional games and children's equipment.
Legend has it that the origin of this convent was the passage of St. Francis of Assisi through Guarda in 1214. In architectural terms, it has a regular plan that includes a church on one side and a cloister in the middle, on the exterior façade it is possible to verify some traces of medieval architecture with the occasional presence of cannon gargoyles.
The Museum of Guarda opened to the public in 1985 and its collection is made up of collections of archaeology, numismatics, sacred sculpture from the 13th to 18th centuries, sacred painting from the 16th to 18th centuries and armoury from the 17th to 20th centuries. There are also ceramics, photography, regional ethnography, painting and drawing from the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.
With a privileged location, in the heart of the city of Guarda, it is therefore an emblematic building, with a strong symbolic identity in the urban surroundings, thus assuming preponderance in a vast commercial, cultural and leisure area.
The use of the medicinal waters of the Cró dates back to the Roman era, and became famous with D. João V, who already at the time spoke of its remarkable curative effects. Currently, they have a brand new and modern thermal spa, a Wellness and physiotherapy area and also a 4-star hotel surrounded by natural landscapes, ancient ruins, streams and mountains creating a unique atmosphere that contributes to tranquillity and well-being.
It is of Romanesque and Gothic style with some Manueline additions. It is accessed through the Castle Gate where the royal coat of arms of King Manuel I and the armillary sphere are represented, It is composed of a Keep, with a balcony and machicolation, the Torre do Facho, the Cisterna, and also a false door and the small Porta da Traição.
The Museum of Discoveries or Interpretation Center "Discovering the New World (DNM)" is located in the backyard of the Solar dos Cabrais and allows you to know and explore in an innovative way one of the greatest achievements of the History of the Portuguese Discoveries - the discovery of Brazil. With 16 different rooms, filled with content collected and researched over 5 years in institutions around the world and with the help of RTP, we can almost feel what it was like to be aboard one of the ships in the Atlantic on a voyage of more than 500 years.
Its construction started in the XVIII century but was initially left unfinished. It is currently a museological space of cultural dissemination, where traditional inlays are exhibited, very characteristic of Alpedrinha's carpentry. It is a space where visitors can learn a little more about the municipality of Fundão. Besides, from its terrace you can see the whole region in a panoramic way.
The Batalha de Castelo Rodrigo Interpretation Centre aims to honour and pay homage to the ancestors and revive the memory of one of the most decisive and important military events of the War of Restoration, the Battle of Castelo Rodrigo.
It has six centers where the visitor, through new technologies and testimonies, can understand the path to the dynastic union, learn about the main personalities of the restoration, get to know the history of the War of Restoration, the Battle of Castelo Rodrigo and has a Weapons Room.
Located within the city walls, the Old Jewish Neighbourhood is considered one of the oldest in the country and even today you can still see marks of Judaism on the houses and pavement, as well as marks made after Christianisation - crosses on doorposts, to deter the inquisitors.
This building stands out in the rural setting of the village, as it houses a pallium: a unique piece of crimson velvet typical of Venice, embroidered in gold, silver and silk, dating from 1707. It also houses missal books, chalices and other antique pieces linked to religious homilies.
This tower is the most relevant physical memory of the passage of kings in the city, as well as of the defence of the kingdom against Castile. The interior has three floors with wooden floors, each one with a different experience. On the ground floor there is an auditorium where a film is projected that promotes a virtual tour of the city. On the Livro Mágico floor (2nd floor) visitors can browse the History of Guarda in an interactive way, through the Carta de Foral and the cartoon "História da Guarda Oitocentos Anos de Cidade". On the top floor they can have a 360º perspective of fantastic landscapes.
Cidadelhe, the "heel of the world" belongs to the area of the Archaeological Park of Vale do Côa due to the cave figures engraved in granite dating from Prehistory. The film "Fátima" was filmed here because, according to the director, the streets are as they were 200 years ago and the position on top of a hill allows good light.
The Alto da Sapinha viewpoint combines the waters of the Douro, the cliffs and rocks of the Águeda River up to its mouth and the majestic flight of the griffon vultures in a single landscape. The view is further enriched by the terraces, olive groves, almond trees and orchards on the Portuguese side and by the Iberian plateau, in the lands of Salamanca and Zamora, on the Spanish side.
Located in the Casamates, it is an interactive multimedia space where the history of Portugal is reconstructed from medieval times to the contemporary era, with special emphasis on the Peninsular Wars and the siege of Almeida. It consists of 20 rooms and corridors once used for two purposes: peace and war. In times of war they served as military shelter and defence. In times of peace, it was used as a food store. It is also noted that it functioned for some years as a prison.
This memorial is dedicated to the passage through Portugal of refugees fleeing the horrors of Nazism during World War II. It integrates six distinct nuclei:
-People like us
- The Beginning of the Nightmare
- The Journey
- Vilar Formoso
- Border of Peace
- In the Lands of Portugal
- The Departure
Simple building, with only one floor and only one door and window, in a discreet place to ensure the anonymity of the mothers who left their children. This house has an opening in the wall with a revolving structure where the children were left on one side and their belongings on the other. Inside it is possible to see an exhibition on the theme and also some objects and documents.
Edifício da Alfândega, Largo 25 de Abril 6355-217 Vilar Formoso
territoriosdocoa@gmail.com • +351 914 506 242
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