Castle of Vila Nova de Cerveira
The Castle of Vila Nova de Cerveira (Portuguese: Castelo de Vila Nova de Cerveira) is a medieval castle located in the civil parish of Vila Nova de Cerveira e Lovelhe, municipality of Vila Nova de Cerveira, in the Portuguese district of Viana do Castelo.[1]
It was declared a site of public interested on 12 December 1974.[2]
| Castle of Vila Nova de Cerveira | |
|---|---|
| File:Vista do Castelo de Vila Nova de Cerveira.jpg | |
| General information | |
| Location | Vila Nova de Cerveira |
Contents
History
Prehistory
Early human occupation of the site left little evidence to be unearthe, leading to no consensus.
Medieval Castle
The oldest information on its defense is in a charter confirmed by King Sancho II (1223–48) to the village of Elvas in 1229, where, among the names of the nobles who signed, is that of Peter Novaes, mayor (tenens) of Cerveira Castle (Domnus Petrus Novaes tenens castellum). It is believed that the castle was constituted at the time only in a defensive tower.
His successor, King Dinis (1279-1325), desiring the increased settlement of the region, tried to attract couples to Cerveira. He gave a Foral Charter in 1317.
Upon the outbreak of the Portuguese succession crisis of 1383-1385, the mayor of the Castle and the town remained loyal to Castile. In 1385 Spring, the Constable Nuno Alvares Pereira, after conquering the Castelo de Neiva, embarked on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in front of his men. They stopped to rest in Vila Nova de Cerveira for the night.
D. Afonso V (1438-1481) rewarded the exploits of Don Leonel de Lima, in the North of Africa campaign, giving him the title of 1st Viscount of Vila Nova de Cerveira (1476) and the possession of the village. This man held him reinforcements in defense.
Under the reign of King Manuel I (1495-1521), the town and its castle are recorded in the census Duarte de Armas (Book of Fortresses, c. 1509).[3]
War of Restoration to the modern day
During the War of Restoration of Portugal's independence, the population stood victorious, under the command of Manuel de Souza Abreu, from the harassment of Spanish troops in 1643. The village later repeated later in the context of the Peninsular War when the town successfully prevented the crossing of the river by the Napoleonic troops under the command of general Soult.
Record from the seventeenth century show that the defense of the castle only received once in improvement amidst the Portuguese Independence war. Implemented from 1660 to 1665 at the expense of D. Diogo de Lima, 8th Viscount of Vila Nova de Cerveira, this modernization included the construction of five salient bastions, adapted to artillery fire, complemented by intermediaries and ditches covering the urban perimeter moats. The construction that date from this period include new village gates: the River Gate (West), the Rear Door of the Church (the East), the port of Campana (the North) and the New Port (at the exit to Gondar). It is also during this time that Chapel of Our Lady of Help was built inside the castle at the main gate.
Twentieth century
In the twentieth century, the old castle was classified as a National Monument by Decree published on 21 December 1974. Through the donation to the City Council, the walled enclosure (letter of March 22, 1975, began a profound urban reform Vila Nova de Cerveira, recovering up its historic center (Castle, Misericordia Church, the pillory, buildings of the old town hall, court, jail and several dwellings) and revaluing up its tourism potential.
During the nineteenth century, the village's economic growth led to the cannabalism of the defenses for resources. One of the most significant losses was the main tower that suffered partial destruction in 1844, which was followed by the north wall, with the disappearance of the primitive door of betrayal.
Features
The castle has plant with oval shape, typical of the Gothic style, with walls of stone set crowned by battlements. Its walls are covered by battlement, reinforced by eight turrets of square plan This is the only remainder of one of the ancient boulders standing out and traces of old keep. The castle is accessed by two doors connected by a concourse;
- elegant door Barbican (Porta da Vila) in pointed arch surmounted by the coat of arms of King Dinis, the South, communicating with the yard of the fair;
- Port of Betrayal, single wicket in the North communicating with the bank.
Inside rise up the buildings of the Town Hall and Jail, the pillory, the Church of Mercy, barracks, storerooms and the cistern. At the main entrance of the Barbican, is the Chapel of Our Lady of Help.
The remains of the seventeenth-century modernization of the castle - bastions, watchtowers and trenches - lack of appreciation as a whole, partially absorbed by urban sprawl from the nineteenth century.[4]
References
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