Castros in Portugal

A castro is a fortified settlement, usually pre-Roman, associated with the Celtic culture. These are frequently found in Portugal, usually in the North, but can also be found elsewhere. The word castro comes from the Latin castrum, which means "hill fort". The first Castros where just small residences with rudimentary stone walls. Northwestern Castro Network

The Northwestern Castro Network (Rede de Castros do Noroeste), was established in 2015 grouping the most important sites in Northern Portugal as founding members out of 2,000 archaeological sites:

Boticas (Castro do Lesenho); Esposende (São Lourenço); Monção (São Caetano); Paços de Ferreira (Sanfins); Penafiel (Monte Mozinho); Póvoa de Varzim (Cividade de Terroso); Santo Tirso (Castro do Padrão); Trofa (Alvarelhos); Vila do Conde (Bagunte); the Sociedade Martins Sarmento, from Guimarães (which manages Citânia de Briteiros); the Direcção Regional de Cultura, managing Citânia de Santa Lúzia in Viana do Castelo.

Despite its name, the network includes, for the time being, only Portuguese partners, and froze the idea to world heritage candidacy to UNESCO, given the disparities in archaeological research, and the necessity to create visitation and promotion conditions. This is especially true in the municipality of Vila do Conde, which holds Cividade de Bagunte, one of the largest sites, along with seven other castros. The Vila do Conde city hall managed to obtain its Cividade's land area only in 2015, after 60 years of negotiations and legal confrontation.

Map of National Monument Castros in Portugal

Lists of Castros in Portugal +NameMunicipalityRegionInitial occupation periodLast occupation periodCitânia de BriteirosGuimarãesNorthAtlantic Bronze AgeFrancisco Sande Lemos & Gonçalo Correida da Cruz (2007)High Middle AgesCitânia de SanfinsPaços de FerreiraNorthIron AgeMiddle AgesCitânia de Santa LuziaViana do casteloNorthIron AgeModernCividade de ÂncoraCaminhaNorthCividade de BagunteVila do CondeNorthCividade de TerrosoPóvoa de VarzimNorthBronze AgeFlores Gomes, José Manuel & Carneiro, Deolinda: Subtus Montis Terroso. CMPV (2005), "Cultura castreja - A Cividade de Terroso", pp.97-131Classical antiquityFlores Gomes, José Manuel & Carneiro, Deolinda: Subtus Montis Terroso CMPV (2005), "Origens do Povoamento" pp.74-76Castro de AlvarelhosTrofaNorthCastro de Castelo VelhoAlandroalAlentejoChalcolithicEarly Middle AgesCastro de CarmonaBarcelosNorthCastro de ChibanesPalmelaLisboaChalcolithicEarly Middle AgesCastro de CidadelheMesão FrioNorthCastro da ColaOuriqueAlentejoCastro de EirasVila Nova de FamalicãoNorthCastro de LeceiaOeirasLisboaFinal NeolithicChalcolithicCastro de Monte CasteloMatosinhosNorthChalcolithicCastro de Monte MozinhoPenafielNorthCastro de Monte ValinhasAroucaNorthCastro de SacóiasBragançaNorthCastro de São JuliãoVila VerdeNorthCastro de São LourençoEsposendeNorthCastro of VieitoViana do CasteloNorthClassical antiquityAntónio José Marques da Silva (20 April 2012), p.1Classical antiquityCastro de Vila Nova de São PedroAzambujaAlentejoChalcolithicCastro de ZambujalTorres VedrasCenterChalcolithicCabeço do VougaÁguedaCenterIron AgeCastro de ConímbrigaCondeixa-a-NovaCenterBronze AgeEarly Middle AgesCastle of GeraldoÉvoraAlentejoBronze AgeMiddle AgesOuteiro de BaiõesSão Pedro do SulCenterOuteiro de CárcodaSão Pedro do SulCenterOuteiro CarvalhelhosBoticasNorthOuteiro LesenhoBoticasNorthOuteiro do PópuloAlijóNorthOuteiro de RomarizSanta Maria da FeiraNorth

See also

History of Portugal Prehistoric Iberia Castros in Spain

References