Category: Civil Architecture > Pillory
District: Bragança > Bragança > Vila Franca de Lampaças
The pillory stands in the center of the old village of Vila Franca de Lampaças, in a wide, irregularly paved square that compensates for the unevenness of the terrain. In the vicinity, small shale houses, some plastered, are noticeable, accentuating the rural character of the landscape.
Leaning against a discreet fountain and surrounded by houses with red roofs, the monument offers an observation point for the rolling fields that stretch beyond the houses, marking the encounter between the traditional urban space and the natural environment of the municipality of Bragança.
Carved in granite, the pillory rests on a quadrangular plinth with two steps, upon which a base with a fitting for the cylindrical shaft is fixed. The top culminates in a truncated cone element, giving it the singular “pine cone” shape that characterizes several medieval pillories in the region.
The piece, with sober and robust lines, highlights the quality of local stonework and retains traces of judicial use, testifying to the administrative organization that was in force since the granting of the charter in the late 13th century.
Classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1933, this pillory most probably dates from the 14th century and symbolizes the old manorial jurisdiction of the village, when trials were administered and sentences proclaimed here.
More than a landmark of justice, the monument today serves as a cultural reference point, recalling the autonomous past of Vila Franca de Lampaças and the role it played in the administrative history of the district of Bragança.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelourinho_de_Vila_Franca_de_Lampaças
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.61131502605214,-6.855416317020488
Coordinates DMS: 41°36'40.7"N 06°51'19.5"W
Weather Vila Franca de Lampaças
On-duty Pharmacy Vila Franca de Lampaças
