Lusitanian-Roman road

Category: Archaeology > Way

District: Braga > Póvoa de Lanhoso > Pinheiro

Location

Located in the village of Pinheiro, in the municipality of Póvoa de Lanhoso, district of Braga, the Lusitanian-Roman Road is set within a predominantly rural and green landscape. Its route meanders through natural surroundings, offering a tranquil experience and a connection with the countryside atmosphere characteristic of this Minho region. Its presence on the land allows one to glimpse how ancient roads harmoniously integrated into the local topography, marking the landscape with their historical linearity.

The Legacy of Rome in Gallaecia

This section of the Lusitanian-Roman Road is a tangible testament to the advanced Roman engineering in the Iberian Peninsula. Although the remains may vary in visibility, its importance lies in the ability to walk along a route that once served as a fundamental communication axis. These roads, built with great technical rigor, were essential for the movement of troops, the transport of goods, and the administration of the vast Roman Empire, connecting cities and settlements, including the important Bracara Augusta, modern-day Braga, located nearby.

The region where this road is located, in the current district of Braga, was part of the Roman province of Gallaecia, one of the major administrative divisions of the Roman Empire in the western peninsula. The robustness of its design, intended to last for centuries, can still be perceived in the foundations and, at times, in the very blocks that made up its roadbed.

A Journey Through Time

Visiting the Lusitanian-Roman Road in Pinheiro is an opportunity to delve into a remote part of Portugal's history. To walk this path is to imagine the footsteps of those who passed through here more than two thousand years ago, soldiers, merchants, travelers. It is an invitation to reflect on the profound Roman influence on the organization of the territory and the lives of its people. The value of this site lies not only in its material remains but also in its ability to evoke a crucial period of our cultural and civilizational formation, in a unique symbiosis between the historical legacy and the serene beauty of the surrounding Minho landscape.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt