Category: Civil Architecture > Pillory
District: Coimbra > Figueira da Foz > Buarcos > Buarcos de Baixo
The Pillory of Buarcos stands erected in the picturesque locality of Buarcos de Baixo, in the municipality of Figueira da Foz, Coimbra district. Its presence marks a point of historical and symbolic relevance in the ancient village. Situated in an environment that invites discovery, this monument integrates into Buarcos' urban fabric, evoking its former centrality and role in community life. The surrounding area, where civic life once unfolded, still retains a certain charm today that complements the pillory's sobriety.
This Pillory is a valuable testament to the past and the administrative evolution of the locality. Pillories were, par excellence, the visible symbols of municipal autonomy and the judicial power of a council. Their erection signified that the locality held the right to administer its own justice, impose penalties, and regulate its market. It was in their surroundings that proclamations were read, sentences were applied, and public punishments were carried out, serving as a central pole of civic and social life. The presence of the Buarcos Pillory thus recalls the identity of an ancient village with its own prerogatives and a history of local governance.
Built in stone, the Buarcos Pillory presents a structure that follows the general lines of these national monuments. It is typically composed of a base, often stepped, from which rises a shaft, or column, which can be smooth or feature some decorative elements. At the top of the shaft, there is the capital, which supports the finial or spire, the upper part of the monument. Although the specific details of each pillory vary, their robust construction and imposing form are common traits that characterize them as striking elements of Portuguese civil architecture, reflecting the aesthetics and function for which they were conceived in past eras.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelourinho_de_Buarcos
https://www.cm-figfoz.pt/pages/1056?poi_id=217
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.16478069406694,-8.878048142621408
Coordinates DMS: 40°09'53.2"N 08°52'41.0"W
Weather Buarcos
On-duty Pharmacy Buarcos
