Castelo de Ansiães

Classified as a National Monument, the Castle of Ansiães is one of the most fascinating sites in northern Portugal, with human occupation dating back to around the third millennium before Christ. Successive peoples passed over a rocky spur of exceptional defensive conditions, from prehistoric times to the Romans and the Muslims, to whom the earliest wall is owed.

With the Christian Reconquest, the settlement gained new importance and received a charter in the mid-eleventh century, followed by centuries of growth in which kings such as Afonso Henriques and Manuel I confirmed its privileges. The walled enclosure, of oval design, was reinforced by square towers that defended the São Salvador Gate.

Of the former splendour there remain the keep, the cistern, traces of buildings and two remarkable Romanesque churches, in a setting surrounded by grand scenery. The transfer of the municipal seat to Carrazeda in 1734 sealed its slow depopulation.

Visiting tips

• Walk around the walled enclosure and imagine the old medieval town
• Look at the Romanesque churches and the keep
• Bring water and sun protection: the site is exposed and without shade
• Enjoy the wide views over the Douro and Tua valleys