Category: Archaeology > Hillfort
District: Vila Real > Mesão Frio > Cidadelhe
Erected at an altitude of approximately 900 meters, the Castro de Ciragata occupies the gentle summit of a hill in Cidadelhe, Mesão Frio municipality. Its elevated position offers extensive views over the surrounding plateau and the vineyard terraces of the Alto Douro Wine Region, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The surroundings are dominated by slopes covered with wild vegetation and blocks of shale, creating an atmosphere of great serenity. This archaeological site stands isolated, away from the village center, lending it a sense of discovery and tranquility.
Classified in 1986 as a Property of Public Interest, the Castro de Ciragata dates back to the Iron Age. Archaeological prospecting at the site allowed for the collection of ceramic fragments that attest to the occupation of this fortified settlement for over two millennia.
Later, in the medieval period, the presence of a quadrangular tower was confirmed, whose foundations are still discernible at the highest point of the site. These remains reveal the strategic importance of this place throughout centuries.
The castro features a defensive system composed of two subcircular bands of walls made of shale masonry. The inner wall encircles the acropolis, while the outer wall is approximately four meters wide and reached up to six meters in height.
Additionally, fragments of two main ditches are still recognizable (one extending to the west and another to the northwest) as well as some embedded shale blocks that reinforced the defense. Despite vegetation and human action over the centuries, these structures remain discernible, providing direct contact with proto-historic military engineering.
Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castro_de_Cidadelhe
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.67015432205611,-6.72452951391625
Coordinates DMS: 41°40'12.6"N 06°43'28.3"W
Weather Cidadelhe
On-duty Pharmacy Cidadelhe
