Category: Military Architecture > Wall
District: Viseu > Viseu > Viseu
The Ancient Walls and Gates of the City of Viseu are integrated into the urban fabric, particularly visible in the Bairro Dona Maria do Céu Mendes and in various historic arteries. The vestiges of these old defenses are scattered across different points of the city, offering a unique perspective on its development over the centuries. Walking through the historic center allows one to discover these structures, often framed by civil buildings or revealing themselves in unexpected nooks.
Viseu's history is marked by the presence of successive defensive perimeters, whose memories still shape the urban landscape today. Before the imposing structures that are seen, older fortifications existed, including a castle around the hill where the Cathedral stands. It was at the end of the 15th century, during the reign of D. Afonso V, that the construction of a new walled enclosure was undertaken, with the purpose of protecting the city from the looting and assaults that plagued it. This royal initiative reflects Viseu's strategic importance throughout time, with its inhabitants clamoring for robust defenses.
Originally, the city was protected by seven gates, but only two resist the passage of centuries and continue to serve as symbolic entrances to its historic core: the Porta do Soar and the Porta dos Cavaleiros. Both are notable for their architecture, featuring pointed arches on the exterior and depressed arches on the interior. The Porta do Soar, for example, is adorned with a plaque that commemorates its construction by order of D. Afonso V in 1472, in addition to displaying the arms of Portugal and niches dedicated to saints. The Porta dos Cavaleiros, in turn, dates back to 1646 and includes a niche with the image of Saint Sebastian, as well as a figure of Our Lady, elements that confer a singular character to each of these historic passages.
Beyond the most evident gates, the legacy of Viseu's ancient walls manifests itself in various sections integrated into the built landscape. It is possible to find vestiges dating back even to the Roman era, with some segments reaching about four meters in width, demonstrating millennia-old layers of construction. In certain areas, these vestiges have been musealized, as can be observed in a section of the Roman wall on Rua Formosa, where a glass structure allows for a close contemplation of the historical foundations. The construction of these defenses predominantly utilized local granite, present in masonry, stonework, and the exploitation of natural rock outcrops, granting them a robustness and authenticity that still impress today.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.661653421531,-7.9086676239967
Coordinates DMS: 40°39'42.0"N 07°54'31.2"W
Weather Viseu
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