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The
Castelo de Bragança
(Castle of Bragança) in
Northern Portugal is an austere
looking granite fortress which has watched over the town
of
Bragança
for over 600 years.
The Castle, which has an outer and
inner set of walls, it is believed to have been sited on
an earlier structure created by Portugal's first King,
Afonso Henriques.
However it was in the early 13th
century under the instructions of King Dinis that
fortifications were strengthened. |
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The
Castelo de Bragança,
which is accessible by foot from the town of
Bragança, has a
range of historic buildings within it's outer walls,
which are interspersed with 15 watch towers.
Perhaps the most romantic is the Torre de Menegem
(Princess Tower) which is situated adjacent to the 33
metre high keep.
The legend tells of a princess who
was kept at the tower by her uncle. The princess had
fallen in love with a knight who had gone to seek his
fortune. In his absence the princess's uncle tried to
marry her off to no avail and according to the legend
even when he dressed as a ghost and gained access to the
tower to warn his niece of her eternal damnation should
she not marry he was unmasked.
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Medieval Council Offices |
Bragança Castle |
Views from Bragança
Castle |
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The keep, which was constructed in
King John I's reign, now houses a military museum with
an array of weaponry used at the castle throughout the
centuries. In front of the keep there is a granite
pillory which is adorned by an unusual stone pig.
The pig, which has been hand carved,
is one of many which have been found in the region of
Braganca and are believed to date back to
Paleontological times. Historians though have no clue to
the relevance of these granite porkers. |
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Church in the Castle
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Pillory with Mysterious
Stone Pig |
Military Museum
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Almost hidden in the
collection of buildings in the
Castelo de Bragança
is the Domus Municipalis (Municipal Council building).
The single storey stone Romanesque building is unique in
Portugal and it is believed to have been constructed in
the early part of the 15th century.
The Domus Municipalis
has two rooms one of which contains a water cistern
which is filled by a natural spring. The upper room was
utilised as the council chambers where 'gentlemen' would
have their meetings. This room, above the cistern, has a
stone flagged floor.
The
Castelo de Bragança
was made a national monument on 23rd June 1910 and since
then restoration work has been carried out on the Castle
and the buildings situated within it's walls. |
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Location Map of Castelo de
Bragança, Northern Portugal |
View Castelo de Bragança, Portugal in a larger map |
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