Category: Archaeology > Fortified Settlement
District: Braga > Braga > Braga > Monte da Falperra
Located on top of Falperra hill, 3 km from Braga, in the parish of Esporões, municipality of Braga, in Portugal.
The archaeological site presents vestiges from various periods, including a castro, an early Christian basilica, a Suevic palace, and a medieval castle.
This is a castro with circular houses and three fortified walls, inhabited from the Bronze Age to Roman times.
Near the monument of Nossa Senhora da Assunção, foundations of walls were found that form a labyrinth of complex reading. The function of these vestiges is still unknown.
Discovered during excavations, the basilica has three naves, a semicircular apse, and follows a constructive model characteristic of Syria, disseminated in the Iberian Peninsula.
In the excavations, a rectangular construction of large dimensions was found, with rooms and pillars, similar to the Visigothic palace of Recópolis, in Spain. It is believed to be a Suevic palace.
There are written references to the presence of a castle on Monte da Falperra between the years 900 and 1147, but its structure has not yet been discovered.
Over the years, several excavations have been carried out by archaeologists such as Albano Belino, Pe. Arlindo da Cunha, Russell Cortez, and others, revealing different historical layers.
Unfortunately, the archaeological site is abandoned, but the Braga City Council has plans for its recovery, having prepared a plan in 2021.
Near the archaeological site, there is the Chapel of Santa Marta das Cortiças and the monument of Nossa Senhora da Assunção.
The Archaeological Site of Santa Marta das Cortiças is considered a Property of Public Interest since 1955 and is a place of great relevance to understand the history and culture of the region.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estação_Arqueológica_de_Santa_Marta_das_Cortiças
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.514302,-8.3954858
Coordinates DMS: 41°30'51.5"N 08°23'43.7"W
Weather Braga
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