Castle of Avô
the public
The Castle of Avô (Portuguese: Castelo de Avô) is a medieval castle located in the civil parish of Avô, municipality of Oliveira do Hospital, in the Portuguese district of Coimbra.
History
Sometime during the Iron Age the territory of Avô was occupied by a primitive Castro culture, that was much later taken-over by the Romans.[1] The site was an important link in the Roman road network, connecting Lancia Oppidana and Conímbriga.[1]
In 412, the settlement was settled by the Alans.[1] It was taken in 716 by Muslim forces.[1]
In the 11th century, the settlement was part of the possessions of the Count of Coimbra, Sesnando Davides.[1]
D. Henrique donated Avô to the Bishop of Coimbra in the 12th century. It was likely his son, D. Afonso Henriques who ordered to construction of the first medieval fortress over the ruins of the Roman settlement.[1] By 1187, the town pertained to D. Urraca Afonso, illegitimate daughter of Afonso Henriques, who traded it for Aveiro, from her brother D. Sancho I. It was King Sancho who conceded the foral (charter), confirming it in the hands of the Bishop of Coimbra.[1]
In the 13th century, the castle was destroyed during battles between D. Sancho II and Afonso III.[1]
A century later, it was reconstructed by King D. Dinis (from the vestiges uncovered on the site).[1]
From 1856, the castle ruins began to deteriorate rapidly, with much of the stone reused in public works, including the construction of the bridge crossing the Ribeira de Moura.[1] The keep tower was ultimately disassembled.[1]
On 1 June 1992, the property was placed in the hands of the Instituto Português do Património Arquitetónico (Portuguese Institute of Architectural Patrimony), by decree 106F/92 (Diário da República, Série 1A, 126).[1]
The first attempts to stabilize and recuperate the existing walls began in 1942, and persisted off-and-on to 1963.[1] In 1966, repairs began on the wall alongside the chapel and repairs its pavement and walls, which continued in the chapel, the following year.[1]
In 1972, survey of the primitive soil, reconstruction of the pavement, chapel altar and the windows.[1]
Architecture
The castle is located in an isolated, urban area, at the top of a hill that dominates the settlement on the margin of the Alva River, at the confluence with the Moura River and river beach.[1] By a branch 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the Estrada da Beira, it is situated in the extreme south part of the settlement, over the barrio/neighbourhood of Couraça, in flanks of the hilltop, accessible by pedestrian train.[1]
The curtain walls, with polygonal merlons, encircle the ogive arch of the main gate, 3.5 metres (11 ft) high by 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) wide.[1] Near the gate is the single-nave Chapel of São Miguel (Chapel of the Archangel Michael), with presbytery and vaulted ceiling with two lateral niches.[1]
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s João Cravo, Isabel; Bonifácio, Horácio; Alçada, Margarida (2005), SIPA (ed.), Castelo de Santo Estêvão (IPA.00002592/ PT020611030015) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, archived from the original on 20 December 2016, retrieved 3 April 2016
Sources
- Goncalves, António Nogueira; Correia, Vergílio (1952), "Inventário Artístico de Portugal: distrito de Coimbra" (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Marques, A.H. de Oliveira (1993), "O Portugal islâmico", Nova História de Portugal (in Portuguese), vol. 2, Lisbon, Portugal
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Fernandes, Paulo Almeida (2002), A igreja pré-românica de São Pedro de Lourosa, Dissertação de Mestrado em Arte, Património e Restauro (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Correia, Luís Miguel Maldonado de Vasconcelos (2010), Castelos em Portugal. Retrato do seu Perfil Arquitectónico (in Portuguese), Coimbra
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Bigotte, José Quelhas (1981), Monografia da vila e concelho de Seia (in Portuguese), Seia, Portugal
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Goncalves, António Nogueira (1993), "O castelo de Avô", Arte e arqueologia (in Portuguese), Coimbra: Estudos de História da Arte Medieval, pp. 325–333
- Hall, Tarquínio (1998), "Avô - a fidalga e nobre vila", Concelho de Oliveira do Hospital - subsídios para a sua história (in Portuguese), Oliveira do Hospital, pp. 221–265
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Pereira, Mário (1999), "II.4 Avô", Terras da Moura encantada, Porto, Portugal, pp. 61–63
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
- v
- t
- e
- Castle of Abrantes
- Castle of Alandroal
- Castle of Alcácer do Sal
- Castle of Alcanede
- Castle of Alcantarilha
- Castle of Alcobaça
- Castle of Alcoutim
- Castle of Alegrete
- Castle of Alenquer
- Castle of Alfaiates
- Castle of Alfândega da Fé
- Castle of Alfeizerão
- Castle of Algoso
- Castle of Aljezur
- Castle of Aljustrel
- Castle of Almada
- Castle of Almourol
- Castle of Alter do Chão
- Castle of Alter Pedroso
- Castle of Alva
- Castle of Alvito
- Castle of Alvor
- Castle of Amieira do Tejo
- Castle of Arraiolos
- Castle of Arronches
- Castle of Atouguia da Baleia
- Castle of Avis
- Castle of Avô
- Castle of Azinhalinho
- Castle of Balsamão
- Castle of Barbacena
- Porto Pim bartizan
- Castle of Beja
- Castle of Belmonte
- Castle of Belver
- Castle of Bemposta
- Castle of Borba
- Castle of Braga
- Castle of Bragança
- Castle of Caminha
- Castle of Campo Maior
- Castle of Carrazeda de Ansiães
- Castle of Castelo Bom
- Castle of Castelo Branco
- Castelo de Idanha-a-Velha
- Castelo de Longroiva
- Castelo de Montel
- Castelo de Montemor-o-Novo
- Castelo de Nisa
- Castelo de Oleiros
- Castelo de Palmela
- Castelo de Pirescoxe
- Castelo de Portuzelo
- Castelo de Ranhados
- Castelo de Sesimbra
- Castelo de Sines
- Castelo de Torre de Coelheiros
- Castelo de Torres Vedras
- Castelo de Veiros
- Castle of Castelo Melhor
- Castle of Castelo Mendo
- Castle of Castelo de Vide
- Castle of Castelo Rodrigo
- Castle Fortress of Almeida
- Castle of Castro Marim
- Castle of Celorico da Beira
- Castle of Chaves
- Castle of Cola
- Castle of Crato
- Castle of Curutelo
- Castle of Degebe
- Castle of Elvas
- Castle of Esporão
- Castle of Estremoz
- Castle of Evoramonte
- Castle of Faria
- Fernandine Walls of Porto
- Castle of Folgosinho
- Castle of Freixo de Espada-à-Cinta
- Castle of Freixo de Numão
- Castle of Geraldo
- Castle of Guarda
- Castle of Guimarães
- Castle of Idanha-a-Nova
- Castelo de Juromenha
- Castle of Lagos
- Castle of Lamego
- Castle of Lanhoso
- Castle of Leiria
- Castle of Linhares
- Castle of Loulé
- Castle of Lousa
- Castle of Lousã
- Castle of Marialva
- Castle of Marvão
- Castle of Mau Vizinho (Vila Real)
- Castle of Melgaço
- Castle of Mertola
- Castle of Messejana
- Castle of Miranda do Douro
- Castle of Mirandela
- Castle of Mogadouro
- Castle of Moinhos
- Castle of Monção
- Castle of Monforte (Chaves)
- Castle of Monforte (Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo)
- Castle of Monsanto
- Castelo de Monsaraz
- Montalegre Castle
- Castle of Montalvão
- Castle of Montemor-o-Velho
- Castle of the Moors
- Castle of Moreira de Rei
- Castle of Mós
- Castle of Moura
- Castle of Mourão
- Castle of Noudar
- Castle of Numão
- Castle of Óbidos
- Castle of Ouguela
- Castle of Ourém
- Castle of Ourique
- Castle of Outeiro
- Castle of Paderne
- Castle of Pena de Aguiar
- Castle of Penamacor
- Castle of Penas Róias
- Castle of Penedono
- Castle of Penela
- Castle of Pinhel
- Castle of Pombal
- Castle of Portalegre
- Castle of Portel
- Castelo de Porto de Mós
- Castle of Rebordãos
- Castle of Redondo
- Castle of Redondos
- Castle of Ródão
- Sabugal Castle
- Castle of Salir
- Castle of Santa Maria da Feira
- Castle of Santarém
- Castle of Santo Estêvão
- São Jorge Castle
- Castle of São Ramão
- Castle of Seda
- Castle of Senhora da Luz
- Castle of Sernancelhe
- Castle of Serpa
- Castle of Silves
- Castle of Sortelha
- Castle of Soure
- Castle of Tavira
- Castle of Terena
- Castelo de Tomar
- Castelo de Torre de Moncorvo
- Castle of Torres Novas
- Tower of Bera
- Tower of Ferreira de Aves
- Castle of Trancoso
- Castle of Valongo
- Castle of Viana do Alentejo
- Castle of Vidigueira
- Castle of Vidigueiras
- Castle of Vila Flor
- Castle of Vila Nova de Cerveira
- Castle of Vila Nova de Foz Côa
- Castle of Vila Verde dos Francos
- Castle of Vila Viçosa
- Castle of Vilar Maior
- Castle of Vinhais
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/Castelo_de_Plamela_2004-04.jpg/130px-Castelo_de_Plamela_2004-04.jpg)