Pillory of Castro Laboreiro

Category: Civil Architecture > Pillory

District: Viana do Castelo > Melgaço > Castro Laboreiro > Centro Histórico

Origin and History

Built in 1560, the pillory was dismantled in 1860, and its pieces were scattered across different houses in the village. In 1917, Major Fernando Barreiros identified some of these pieces and made a drawing for its possible reconstruction.

Reconstruction

Between 1980 and 1985, thanks to the effort of Father Aníbal Rodrigues, some original pieces were recovered, and the pillory was rebuilt.

Architecture

In Manueline style, it is part of the civil judicial architecture. Its shaft, without ornamentation, rests on three steps and is crowned by a parallelepiped capital with a pyramid-shaped finial.

Location

It is located in the center of the village of Castro Laboreiro, next to other historical buildings, such as the old Town Hall and the Judicial Court.

Importance

A symbol of the former administrative autonomy of the village, it is a testament to local history and identity, being one of the points of interest for those visiting Castro Laboreiro.

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