Castelo e muralhas de Monsanto - Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal
Posted by: 
tmob
N 40° 02.120 W 007° 06.839
29T E 660912 N 4433383
The Castle of Monsanto, the "most Portuguese village of Portugal" - status achieved in a famous contest of the Estado Novo in 1938
Waymark Code: WMDKPZ
Location: Castelo Branco, Portugal
Date Posted: 01/27/2012
Views: 3
The "most Portuguese village of Portugal" - status achieved in a famous contest of the Estado Novo in 1938 - is located in one of the most impressive geological formations of the country: a true inselberg, its highest point, rises to a height of more 750 meters, dispersing the village on the slopes.
Early on, the impact of this granite mountain, exerted a strong fascination in human communities. In Monsanto, the presence of man is from the Paleolithic, with its peak later occupied by a hill fort.
But is in the Middle Ages that Monsanto gains a large part of its physiognomy and charm. Integrated in the Portuguese crown in the reign of King D. Afonso Henriques, the village was donated to the Templars, who built the original castle.
Duarte de Armas, in the early sixteenth century, drew a castle with five towers, one being the central and higher. Unfortunately, from all these, only one partially remains (the Atalaia Tower, or Tower of Pião). Also, the castle walls were very adulterated, and there not many significant sections left from the medieval structure. For these changes, peninsular wars have contributed greatly in the early nineteenth century.
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