Museological Nucleus of Castelo Novo

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Castelo Branco > Fundão > Castelo Novo

Location

The Castelo Novo Museological Centre is located in the historic village of Castelo Novo, in the municipality of Fundão, one of Portugal's emblematic Historic Villages. This space is specifically housed in the old Town Hall (Casa da Câmara), formerly the Municipal Palace (Paços do Antigo Concelho), placing it in the civic and architectural heart of the village.

Its location within this unique environment contributes to an immersive experience, where the region's history is manifested not only in the exhibited pieces, but also in the village's surrounding atmosphere.

Archaeological Memories of the Castle

This museum centre offers a detailed perspective on the Medieval and Modern periods. Its collection consists of a significant set of archaeological findings, resulting from meticulous excavations carried out in the village's castle, which reveal crucial aspects of the life and daily routine of its former inhabitants.

Each piece tells a part of the historical narrative, allowing one to understand how life unfolded in that part of Beira Interior over several centuries. It is an opportunity to discover the roots and evolution of Castelo Novo through the material vestiges left behind.

Objects, Crafts, and Connections

The exhibited collection is diverse, featuring a wide range of artefacts. Among them, highlights include ceramic pieces dating from the 14th to 16th centuries, which illustrate everything from food preparation and preservation to aspects of personal hygiene and leisure activities of the period. There is also a notable numismatic collection, with coins that reflect trade and the local economy throughout time.

It is possible to observe a varied set of metallic artefacts, such as everyday tools, cutlery, decorative elements like pins and buckles, book clasps, and even some jewellery, many of them with decorated details. The centre also displays objects related to war and hunting, including arrowheads, crossbow bolts, and a knight's spur. One of the most notable finds is a fragment of a Saintonge pitcher, a piece imported from the French coast, which attests to the existence of active medieval trade routes that connected this Beira region to the rest of Europe.

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