Vilarandelo Hillfort or Alto da Muradela

Category: Archaeology > Fortified Settlement

District: Vila Real > Valpaços > Vilarandelo

Location and Natural Environment

In the municipality of Valpaços, in the locality of Vilarandelo, stands the Castro de Vilarandelo, also known as Alto da Muradela or Alto da Cividade. This isolated site, located on top of a spur, offers a rural and peaceful setting. Its elevated position provides a view of the surrounding landscape, dominated by oak and gorse vegetation, and overlooking the Ribeiro do Piago stream.

A Proto-Historic Settlement

The Castro de Vilarandelo represents an important testament to a fortified settlement dating back to Proto-History. This archaeological site offers a perspective on how communities organized and protected themselves in ancient times in the region. Due to its significance, the site has been classified as a Property of Public Interest.

The Defensive Structures

One of the most notable features of this castro is its complex defensive system. The site is surrounded by two robust lines of walls, which in some places reach about two meters in thickness. The construction of these walls, mostly in granite and dry-laid, demonstrates the ingenuity of the techniques of the time. The inner wall, for example, is cleverly integrated into the natural rocks of the terrain, while the outer one reveals a type of construction with less worked blocks, but equally effective. Evidence of ancient entrances to the settlement can also be observed.

Remains of an Ancient Community

Among the imposing lines of walls, traces of circular-plan constructions can be found. These findings are indicators of the dwellings and spatial organization of the community that resided here millennia ago. Although dense vegetation sometimes conceals some of these structures, their presence allows one to imagine the daily life of the ancient inhabitants of this proto-urban agglomeration, who sought refuge and a strategic point in this safe and elevated location.

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