Castle and Archaeological Excavations

The Castle of Freixo de Espada à Cinta is a structure of military architecture, medieval and Manueline, set on a hill, made up of a barracão and castelejo with an oval plan, of which only a few sections remain and a heptagonal tower crowned by matacães and topped by beveled merlons, once part of the castelejo's walled circuit. It is one of the oldest fortresses in Trás-os-Montes, which marked the border to the west of the River Douro and was probably built from the date that King Afonso Henriques granted the town a charter (presumably between 1152-1157), having built a primitive stronghold here to defend the population. Later, during the reigns of King Afonso II and King Dinis, the castle underwent major construction campaigns and new renovations to update the enclosure for military and residential purposes. In 1836, the site was converted into a municipal cemetery and parts of the wall were demolished. The type of layout and organization of the castle under the village reveals a similar pattern to the castles of Mós, Urrós and Alva. Freixo de Espada à Cinta Castle was classified as a National Monument by Decree published on June 23, 1910. Archaeological excavations were carried out around the Castle of Freixo de Espada à Cinta and revealed the existence of a medieval structure that surrounded the Castle, and traces of an ancient and extensive 15th century fortification were found, such as a tower and one of the turrets of this fortification. With this in mind, the Municipality of Freixo de Espada à Cinta has applied for a Cultural Heritage project under NORTE 2020 - the Northern Regional Operational Program, to rehabilitate the area around the Castle, under the name "Rehabilitation and Enhancement of the Castle of Freixo de Espada à Cinta and its Surroundings", which aims to rehabilitate the area in question, safeguarding and preserving the municipality's cultural and historical heritage.