Pillory of Castro Daire

Category: Civil Architecture > Pillory

District: Viseu > Castro Daire > Castro Daire > Bairro do Castelo

Location

The Castro Daire Pillory is located in an urban area of the locality, in the heart of the Castle Quarter. Its position is privileged, situated on a small hill, which allows it to stand out in the surrounding landscape. It is set in a well-maintained garden, harmonizing with the space and offering a pleasant environment for a pause and observation.

From this point, it is possible to absorb the atmosphere of the town, with the pillory serving as a link between Castro Daire's past and present, framed by an area of scenic interest.

Memories of Other Times

This monument in Castro Daire has a history that conjecturally dates back to the 18th century. Initially, its function was that of a pillory, a public symbol of justice and municipal power. It was the place where punishments were carried out and seigneurial or royal authority was asserted, thus marking the center of the town's civic life in those centuries.

Over time, and probably already in the 19th century, the original structure of the pillory underwent a transformation. Its initial purpose was altered, and the monument was adapted to become a stone cross, assuming a new, now religious, connotation.

Design and Stonework

Constructed entirely from granite ashlar, the Castro Daire Pillory is an interesting example of stone art. Its base is composed of two circular, molded steps, which support a pedestal with a square base and a horizontal plinth. Above, a monolithic and cylindrical column rises, culminating in an Ionic capital, evidencing the architectural style of its probable construction period.

At the top of the structure, visible to passers-by, stands a Latin cross. This cross is a more recent element, having been added to the monument in the last decades of the 20th century (between 1992 and 1993), consolidating its current use as a stone cross.

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