The Sanctuary of Fátima is located in the council of Ourém district of Santarém.

It is one of the main shrines of Marian devotion in the world, and its temple has the status of Basilica Minor, has the same status as a cathedral.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima began as a small, rudimentary chapel where according to legend, the Virgin appeared to three children, is today an integrated several buildings set around the Praça Pio XII complex.

The days of the year with greater influx of pilgrims to Fatima are May 13 and October 13, dates of first and last appearance of the Virgin.

For more information these are the links to the official sites of the sanctuary:

https://www.facebook.com/SantuarioFatima
http://www.santuario-fatima.pt/portal/

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

In the heart of the Lima River valley is the beautiful Ponte de Lima , the oldest town of Portugal.  

Queen Teresa granted him leasehold letter villa in 1125, due to its excellent strategic position at a ford the river Lima ordered to wall it , creating a medieval village defended by walls and nine towers , two of which are still preserved , and six gates by which it was acceded to the fortified area .

The bridge from which the town takes its name was always of great importance since around the Alto Minho was the only safe passage of the mighty river.

The original bridge was built during the Roman Empire, which is still a significant chunk is preserved on the right bank of the river, being the product of medieval artwork rest.

It is a remarkable piece of architecture seeing few bridges in the country that you can compare.

And thanks to the bridge. The place is also a must for pilgrims who came to worship the Compostela Santiago Apostol step.

In the eighteenth century urban expansion of the town so the destruction of the walls is undertaken in search of new opportunities to build occurs.

  

The Padrao do Salado is a curious building located in Largo da Oliveira, Guimarães, and is a unique monument in Portugal for its features.

Its construction was ordered in 1342 by the King of Portugal Dom Afonso IV to commemorate the victory at the Battle of the banks of the Rio Salado, in Tarifa.

In the battle do Salado, the Portuguese allied with the Spaniards fought against Muslims, Islam suffering his first defeat since the Battle of Poitiers.

This victory generated a major warmonger optimism in European and Rome courts, renewing the urge to cross.
After this battle Afonso IV of Portugal made history with the nickname of O Bravo.

The memorial is a stone-vaulted alpendre discharging their weight by four arches Maintaining himself on pilasters and moldings with labras Romanizing taste, which houses a cruzeiro inside.

At the apex of the arches are engraved the arms of Dom Afonso IV, and at the base of the cruise arms of the Royal House Portuguesa.

On August 14th we celebrate the commemoration of Batalha that gave rise to the monument here.