Cidadelhe Hillfort

Category: Archaeology > Fortified Settlement

District: Vila Real > Mesão Frio > Cidadelhe > Bairro Novo

Location

The Castro de Cidadelhe is located in the locality of the same name, part of the municipality of Mesão Frio. This ancient settlement is situated on an isolated hill, offering a wide panoramic view over the surrounding landscape. From various points of the castro, it is possible to glimpse the Douro River, a central element of the region's beauty and history.

The area where the Castro de Cidadelhe is located is part of the Alto Douro Wine Region, a territory that benefits from UNESCO World Heritage status. This classification highlights the cultural and scenic importance of the site, integrating it into a context of exceptional value.

A Millennia-Old Legacy

The Castro de Cidadelhe is a remnant of a fortified settlement dating back to protohistoric times, preceding the Roman presence in the Iberian Peninsula. Over the centuries, this strategic location was occupied by various civilizations. During the Roman period, the settlement continued to thrive, and its inhabitants adapted the existing structures, leaving their mark.

Later, during the medieval era, the site maintained its relevance, serving as the center of an administrative territory. The succession of occupations over thousands of years makes the Castro de Cidadelhe a testament to the region's long and rich history, inviting a journey back in time.

Visible Structures

What remains of the Castro de Cidadelhe is a set of vestiges revealing the ingenuity of its builders. Notably, its two lines of walls, built with characteristic shale masonry, a material abundant in the area. Parts of the outer wall, in particular, reach several meters in height, giving an idea of the original fortification's grandeur.

Within the walled perimeter, it is possible to observe the foundations of ancient circular-plan dwellings, dating back to the pre-Roman period. At the highest elevation of the terrain, over layers of sandy loam covering older structures, remain the foundations of a quadrangular-plan tower, added during the Middle Ages, which reinforces the idea of the site's continuous defensive importance.

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