Located in a border area, Chaves Castle was the scene of many decisive battles. It was built in the 9th century, even before the foundation of Portugal, during the Christian reconquest, and rebuilt during the reigns of King Afonso III and King Dinis. This king concluded the keep that dominates the beautiful city of Chaves until today.

During the reign of D. Afonso Henriques the castle was conquered and integrated in Portugal. It was taken over by the Castilians about 80 years later. It was necessary another 10 years for Portugal to recover it.

One of the most remarkable moments of this medieval fortification was the takeover of the castle by King João I. Following the dynastic crisis of 1383-85, the Flaviense alcalde, who had sworn loyalty to the king of Castile, refused to surrender to the king of Portugal. After several months of siege and combat forces and supplies were already scarce. The alcalde Martim Gonçalves de Ataíde finally accepted the surrender. However, he only did so after being allowed to go to Zamora to beg the King of Castile to relieve him of the commitment of honour he had undertaken. And as a guarantee he left his own son in the hands of King João I.

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Castelo de Chaves

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O Forte de Nossa Senhora do Rosário, melhor conhecido como Forte São Francisco de Chaves, localiza-se na cidade de mesmo nome, Freguesia de Stª Maria Maior (Chaves), Concelho de Chaves, Distrito de Vila Real, em Portugal.

Juntamente com o Forte de São Neutel, este forte, em posição dominante na colina da Pedisqueira, vizinho ao rio Tâmega e à antiga ponte romana, destinava-se a defender a cidade, na fronteira da Galiza, à época da Guerra da Restauração.

História

Antecedentes

O forte remonta a um Convento franciscano – o Convento de Nossa Senhora do Rosário -, erguido no início do século XVI, que lhe deu a designação. De acordo com uma escritura celebrada com Frei Rodrigo de Morais em 1446, terá sido o arquiteto Mestre Joanes de Cibrão que projetou a abóbada do Convento.

O Forte de Nossa Senhora do Rosário

No contexto da Guerra da Restauração da independência, reconhecendo-se a importância da posição estratégica da cidade, junto à fronteira, impôs-se a modernização de suas defesas medievais. Visando evitar que as colinas vizinhas fossem ocupadas por baterias de artilharia inimiga, estas posições foram guarnecidas.

Na colina da Pedisqueira, onde existia o antigo Convento franciscano, optou-se por envolvê-lo com muralhas abaluartadas, transformando-o num forte. Os trabalhos desenvolveram-se sob as ordens do Governador das Armas da Província de Trás-os-Montes, D. Rodrigo de Castro, conde de Mesquitela, entre 1658 e 1662. Os trabalhos de defesa de Chaves foram complementados com a construção de novos panos de muralha ligando o forte aos antigos muros medievais, reforçados ou reconstruídos na ocasião, envolvendo-se os bairros que se haviam expandido extra-muros medievais. A defesa foi estendida à antiga ponte romana sobre o Tâmega, cujo acesso, na margem oposta, também foi fortificado, com a construção do Revelim da Madalena.

No início do século XIX, quando da Guerra Peninsular, Chaves e suas defesas não estavam em condições de defesa. Após diversos embates com as tropas napoleônicas sob o comando do General Soult, as tropas portuguesas, sob o comando do General Francisco da Silveira Pinto da Fonseca Teixeira, recuaram para pontos estratégicos, deixando a cidade com uma pequena guarnição sob o comando do Tenente-coronel Pizarro. Estas forças, assim como a de milicianos que enfrentou o inimigo, foi aprisionada e depois libertada. O Forte de São Francisco foi utilizado como quartel-general dos franceses na ocasião, e, nessa qualidade, foi alvo da contra-ofensiva do General Silveira, em Março de 1809. Após seis dias de violentos combates, a guarnição francesa rendeu-se, e Chaves foi libertada.

Posteriormente, foi cenário ainda de lutas quando das Guerras Liberais e, mais tarde ainda, em 1910, quando da Proclamação da República Portuguesa.

Perdida a sua função defensiva, após abrigar por quase setenta anos o 10º Batalhão de Caçadores, as dependências do forte foram abandonadas, entrando em processo de ruína.

Do século XX aos nossos dias

Encontra-se classificado como Monumento Nacional pelo Decreto n° 28.536, publicado em 22 de Março de 1938.

A intervenção do poder público, através da Direcção-Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais (DGEMN) registrou-se a partir de 1957, quando lhe foram promovidas obras de conservação. Diversas etapas de consolidação, limpeza, desobstrução, reparação e reconstrução tiveram lugar nas décadas seguintes, até que, a 16 de Janeiro de 1989, o Forte de São Francisco foi cedido, a título precário, à Câmara Municipal de Chaves. Na segunda metade da década de 1970, as dependências do forte serviram como alojamento provisório para famílias retornadas das ex-colônias portuguesas na África.

Em 1994 as dependências do forte foram requalificadas como uma unidade hoteleira, empreendimento promovido Sociedade Forte de S. Francisco, Hoteis, Ldª, com projeto do Arquiteto Pedro Jalles. O Forte de São Francisco Hotel, inaugurado em Maio de 1997, encontra-se classificado com quatro estrelas. Disponibiliza cinquenta e três quartos aos visitantes, bar e restaurante, quadra de tênis, piscina e sauna.

Forte de São Francisco de Chaves

O Forte de São Neutel, localiza-se na cidade de Chaves, Freguesia de Santa Maria Maior, Concelho de Chaves, Distrito de Vila Real, em Portugal.

Complementava, na colina a Norte, a defesa proporcionada pelo Castelo e pelo Forte de São Francisco à cidade de Chaves, na fronteira com a Galiza.

História

As suas obras foram iniciadas no contexto da Guerra da Restauração, entre 1664 e 1668, quando se procedeu à petrificação das estacas do Alto da Trindade e construção do forte, pelo Governador das Armas da Província de Trás-os-Montes, General Andrade e Sousa.

Foi palco do combate, em 1912, entre forças civis, militares e o regime republicano.

No século XX, em 2 de Dezembro de 1926, deliberou-se mandar ultimar as obras da nova cadeia no Forte de São Neutel, para se proceder à transferência dos presos da antiga cadeia.

A fortificação pertence ao Exército Português e, por essa razão, normalmente se encontrava fechada à visitação. Atualmente existe um protocolo entre o Exército Português (Direção de Infra-Estruturas do Exército, DIE) e a Câmara Municipal de Chaves, que cede a utilização do espaço. Na década de 1980 fez-se sentir a intervenção do poder público através da Direcção-Geral dos Edifícios e Monumentos Nacionais (DGEMN), na forma de diversas obras de beneficiação (1981, 1987). Mais recentemente, em 1994, foi construído um anfiteatro no interior do forte, pela Câmara Municipal de Chaves, onde atualmente se realizam concertos e outras atividades ao ar livre.

Características

O forte apresenta planta quadrangular, orgânica (adaptada ao terreno), com baluartes nos vértices, no estilo Vauban, cercado por um fosso seco e por uma segunda linha defensiva.

O acesso ao forte é feito por uma sólida ponte de pedra, que liga a muralha exterior ao Portão de Armas.

Os muros, de granito, apresentam de um metro a um metro e meio de espessura, com uma altura que varia de sete a dez metros.

No interior, destaca-se a Capela de Nossa Senhora das Brotas, de construção anterior ao forte, cuja Senhora é homenageada anualmente, no Domingo da Pascoela, com uma procissão e festa. Tem um altar único com a imagem de São Neutel, encontrando-se a da Senhora das Brotas (persistência de um antigo culto pagão a Ceres) representada numa pintura suspensa na parede lateral. Atrás da capela, existem pequenas edificações construídas para abrigar os soldados veteranos do antigo Batalhão de Caçadores nº 10.

Forte de São Neutel

The Castle of Santo Estêvão (Portuguese: Castelo de Santo Estêvão) is a medieval castle located in the civil parish of Santo Estêvão, municipality of Chaves, in the Portuguese district of Vila Real. Located in a dominant position over the village, the castle is within walking distance of the course of the river Tamega and the border with Spain.

History

The first references to this location date to the 11th century, and suggest a rural property of great dimensions, that were eventually fortified.

During the Christian reconquest of the Iberian peninsula, the areas of Chaves (Aqua Flaviae) and Santo Estêvão were integrated into the dowry of Teresa of Leon and Castile, when she married Count Henry of Burgundy in 1093. In 1129, the region of Chaves was retaken by Muslim forces, but reconquered by Rui and Garcia Lopes in 1160, two brother-knights who offered their services to the first Portuguese king, Afonso I (1112-1185). The construction of the castle of Santo Estêvão began during his reign, his son and successor Sancho I (1185-1211).

Here they celebrated the wedding of Infanta Theresa (daughter of King Sancho I) and Alfonso IX of León, and was the home of several of Sancho's other daughters (D. Mafalda and D. Sancha); and his son, Infante D. Afonso, who succeeded the King.

In 1212, the castle was captured by Alfonso IX under the pretext of defending the rights of Infanta D. Theresa. For the next 19 years, the fortress remained on the hands of Castile, but, eventually returned to the possessions of the Portuguese Crown in 1231, during the sequence of the peace of Sabugal. The strategic position to Santo Estêvão determined that Castile and Portugal would maintain contacts between the two Crowns, as in 1253. In that year, D. Afonso III came to Santo Estevão, to receive his future wife, the Infanta D. Beatriz, daughter of Alfonso X of León and Castile. The residences of the town was adapted to serve as citadel to receive the newlyweds, and later residence. These first years proved the strategic relevance of the locality along the frontier. The castle was a signeurial possession, with a tower connected to other dependencies, likely by long-since disappeared awnings.

Santo Estêvão received a foral (charter) in 1258 from King D. Afonso III. His son and successor, King Dinis, to await the arrival of his bride, Isabel, daughter of Pedro III of Aragon. At that time, this fortress belonged to his brother Martim Afonso, the "Chichorro".

Later, during the Portuguese Interregnum, forces of D. John I camped in the town, preparing for the assault on Chaves, whose alcalde had sworn fealty to the Kingdom of Castile. As a consequence of the battles with Castile, in 1385 the castle was damaged. Legend suggests that the sovereign returned to seize the castle on Christmas Eve 1423.

This was repeated in 1666, as the castle was damaged during the war with Spain. The necessities of the medieval castle were abandoned shortly after the sixteenth century and was subsequently adapted into a rectory.

Between 1940 and 1946, the DGEMN completed many repairs and recuperation of the castle, including: the central pillar of the tower was reconstructed, including the construction of foundation and installation of new masonry; reconstruction of double windows, including the exchange of damaged masonry (general repairs and shoring-up masonry); covering openings in masonry and stonework; repointing and cleaning; placing two rods and a square iron hanger in the roof frame including the finial iron plate; execution of the roof covering with double national tile; execution and settlement of thick elm beams in two floors; demolition of masonry walls; general consolidation of the tower battlements including the replacement of damage stones; execution of mortared masonry walls; and regularization of the surrounding land. On 27 April 1942, the castle was ceded to the Casa do Povo de Santo Estêvão.

It was classified as a Monumento Nacional (National Monument) by decree published on 16 May 1939.

On 13 July 1951, it was transferred to the title of the Portuguese State.

The Portuguese government initiated reconstruction and restoration programs at the end of the 20th century; in 1962, construction of the fence, irregular wall around the tower, slabs and staircase to the terrace were repaired.

Architecture

The castle is situated in an isolated, rural elevation over the settlement of Santo Estêvão, in a fertile valley of the Tâmega River, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from Chaves. It is inserted in a small, grassy terrain, with central corridor punctuated by some trees, garden bunks and hydrants. It is protected by a stone wall, accessible from an iron gate, while a bathroom was addorsed to the eastern structure.

Nearby is the parochial Church of Santo Estêvão and belltower, which was constructed from the ruins of a chapel that pertained to the castle and fortified courtyard. The architectural configuration of the belfry demonstrates its defensive characteristics, due to wall thickness and almost non-existence of openings.

The castle that remains consists of a simple, rectangular tower covered in ceiling tower, encircled by a roadway. The facades are 14 metres (46 ft) in height, three stories tall erected using the Opus vittatum, crowned with pyramidal merlons of varying size. The principal facade is oriented to the west, with accessway consisting of broken staves, situated at the level of the first floor, preceded by stone stairs with guard of the same material, the marked and surmounted by covered porch.

At the level of the second floor, is a twin window, consisting of narrow trilobal glass with central panel. Over the left is a cylindrical gargoyle. On the southern lateral facade are three simple slits on the first floor and a twin window with similar trilobal glass and central gargoyle on the second floor. The eastern facade are two small slits on the ground floor, with two slits on the first and am arched portico, with a gargoyle above.

Interior

The interior walls are constructed of granite, dividing individual spaces, with a staircase between floors addorsed to the south wall. The ground floor has a central pillar of granite, with chamfered rectangular section, paved with stone slabs and wood beams that support the first floor. The first floor includes wood flooring, with a similar central pillar, that is narrower and a two-flight wood staircase providing access to the second floor. The second floor has ample space, with wood flooring, and support for the ceiling and small trapdoor with movable iron staircase. In the four vains as twinned windows with a granite fireplace in the southeast.

Castle of Santo Estêvão

The Castle of Monforte (Portuguese; Castelo de Monforte), also referred to as Castelo de Monforte de Rio Livre, is a medieval castle located in the Águas Frias parish, Monforte de village, Chaves municipality in Vila Real district of Portugal.

History

Early History

Archaeological evidence indicates that the early human occupation of its site dates back to Neolithic Times. When the Roman conducted their invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, the region was occupied due to the proximity of the settlement with Roman road that linked Astorga to Braga.

Medieval Era

In 1273, the town received a Foral charter from King Afonso III (1248-1279).

The town received a confirmation Foral Charter from King Afonso IV.

During the 1383-1385 Portuguese succession crisis, the village and castle sided with Beatriz, but she was defeated and the village was forced to accept John I (1385-1433). It is believed that during this time, the castle was constructed and later the castle site plan was recorded in the Duarte de Armas (Book of Fortresses c. 1509).

Post Middle Ages

In Portuguese Restoration War for Independence, the Council of War John IV (1640-1656) determined the modernization of defenses Monforte was necessary by adapting them to fire artillery. Thus, they were erected a half-bastion and other structures in the east of the medieval Donjon tower.

20th Century to modern day

By the 20th century, the quality of the castle had slowly declined. The village has been abandoned.

The Portuguese government subsequently declared the castle of Monforte to be a National Monument on 5 January 1950. 

Currently, the area surrounding the castle hosts every summer, a busy recreation of medieval fair with costumes, games and time items.

Architecture

The medieval castle is constructed walls of granite, which is abundantly found in the region. They stand in fair condition. 
The top of the walls is covered by a battlement that can only be accessed through a door from inside the Keep. This presents quadrangular, crowned by a row of tripartite corbels and is divided internally into three floors, illuminated by torn cracks in the walls.

The former about the village where originally tore three gates, there remains only the call Galeao door.

Castle of Monforte (Chaves)

The Castle of Monforte (Portuguese: Castelo de Monforte), is a medieval castle located in the civil parish of Monforte, in the municipality of Monforte, Portuguese district of Portalegre.

In 1139, the settlement was conquered from the Moors by D. Afonso Henriques. Several years later, a letter detailing the privileges conceded by D. Afonso Henriques was issued in 1168, but it fell into the hands of the Moors from the Castro of Ayamonte (the hilltop of Vaiamonte). After being retaken, a foral (charter) was issued in 1257, by King D. Afonso III.

It was King D. Dinis who ordered the construction of new fortress, over the ruins of the old castro. The buildings included four towers, that included a keep tower, a new circuit of walls and reinforced by square. In 1358 several powers were conceded to the villagers. Between 1383 and 1385, the town was occupied by Martim Anes Barbuda, then in refuge from the Battle of Atoleiros, remaining under his domain for the following years. Between 1391 and 1395, King D. John I donated the town to the Condestável D. Nuno Álvares Pereira.

In 1512, a new foral was issued by King D. Manuel I. In 1542, Monforte began to be a possession of the House of Braganza, under the donation of D. Isabel, wife of Duke D. Teodósio I.

Between 1640 and 1668, reinforced the walls damaged during the Restoration Wars, owing to its important strategic position on the hilltop of Monforte. During the 17th century, in the reign of King D. John IV, the four bastions of the castle were constructed. On 28 June 1662, D. John of Austria, conquered the village of Monforte. But, taking advantage of the withdrawal of Spanish troops to Badajo, the town was retaken on 11 July 1662. During the War of Spanish Succession, the square suffered various attacks from the Spanish army.

In 1801, the castle was attacked by Spanish forces, resulting in the destruction of the primitive castle. Only a few of the walls and the keep tower survived the incursion.

On 9 September 1887, António Sardinha, the great poet and doctrinaire politician grande was born in the villa, going on to be a founder of the publication Integracionismo Lusitano.On 26 September 1895, the municipality of Monforte was extinguished for the next three years, becoming subsumed into the municipality of Arronches. When it was restore (on 13 January 1898), the municipality began to integrate Monforte, Assumar, Santo Aleixo, Vaiamonte and Prazeres.

The first attempt at restoring the old castle began in 2005, with a general plan that include the division of the walls into project zones.