Arnóia Castle or Castle of the Moors or Moreira Castle

Category: Military Architecture > Castle

District: Braga > Celorico de Basto > Arnoia

Location and Historical Context

- Located in the village of Arnóia, in the municipality of Celorico de Basto, district of Braga, Portugal.

- It stands on a stone massif in a dominant position, providing a panoramic view of the old Vila de Basto.

- It was the seat of the Municipality with the Town Hall, Pillory, and Jail.

Classification as a National Monument

- Arnóia Castle has been considered a National Monument since 1946, recognizing its historical and cultural importance.

History and Construction

- It is believed that the castle was built at the end of the 10th or beginning of the 11th century, probably related to the defense of the Monastery of São Bento de Arnóia.

- There are records of activities in the castle in the 13th century, such as feeding the guard dogs and producing lime.

- The castle had different owners throughout the centuries, including the Castro family.

- In the 15th century, it was donated by John I of Portugal to Gil Vasques da Cunha, highlighting the family's importance in the region.

- In the 16th century, Manuel I of Portugal granted a charter to Celorico de Basto, establishing the seat of the Municipality in Arnoia, the place where the castle is located.

Architectural Features

- The castle has an irregular organic polygonal plan adapted to the terrain.

- Its walls are made of granite ashlars and have a parapet walk (adarve), reinforced by a solid turret on the north side.

- The main entrance is a straight lintel portal, protected by the Keep Tower with a quadrangular plan.

- The tower has three floors and is accessed by an internal staircase.

- In the center of the parade ground, there is the castle's cistern.

Restoration and Accessibility

- The castle underwent consolidation and restoration work by the Portuguese Institute of Architectural Heritage (IPPAR) and reopened to the public in January 2004.

- In 2015, improvements were made to the facades of the walls and tower, as well as to the accesses to the monument.

- The flooring, roofing, doors, and windows were restored, in addition to the installation of a water and electricity supply network.

- Accessibility was improved with the construction of a new access staircase to the tower and paving of the paths for visitors.