Montalegre Castle

The Montalegre Castle is the germ population of the same name in Terras de Barroso district of Vila Real, was built by King Dom Afonso III during the reorganization of the boundaries of his kingdom, in the second half of the thirteenth century.

The purpose of the construction was the consolidation of the northern border of Tras os Montes giving it a territorial and legal cash which should be under the power of the king.

The royal domain was short-lived, as before finishing the thirteenth century, Pedro Anesreceived from the king Dom Dinis Navarre Montalegre letter, in order to populate these lands, which were completely deserted.

Currently the Castelo de Montalegre still retains its main features Gothic fortress, with its oval plan, canvas walls between a square tower and two rectangular, as elements of active defense.

The donjon is also associated to the fence, participating in its protection, not isolated, situated in the center of the courtyard as usual in the Romanesque period.

Of the two doors in the castle are oriented only retains nascent door, the front door was protected by the keep no longer exists.

The keep is the most prominent piece of the set, with its back to the remaining parts of the castle construction. This tower was built during the reign of Afonso IV O Bravo and completed in 1331. 

This is due to the keep and have a greater height section, the remaining towers, assuming the most robust part of the whole.

It is divided into four floors and an organization whose systems Drainage, vaulted ripped by thick walls and narrow access corridors spaces balconies reveal a complex functional concern.

During the reign of Juan II of Castile, in a campaign Montalegre reconstruction and refurbishment of the structure was carried out with the aim of strengthening the main entrance protecting by a circular bastion towers in which only the foundation remains.

Already in the seventeenth century due to wars of restoration, the castle underwent further alterations to the construction of several bastions and revellines with the natural features of the time, not suffering over the architectural variations to this day.

Photos: facebook.com/TravellingPortugal