Castle of Arnóia

Parish de Arnóia

Background

The construction period must date back to the end of the 10th century or the beginning of the 11th century, and is believed to be linked to the defense of the neighboring Monastery of São Bento de Arnóia, also founded in that period. This reasoning is supported by the date 1034, marked on the tombstone of the castle's mayor (and probable founder of the monastery, according to some authors), Múnio Muniz, in the cloister of that monastery.
In the 13th century, the Inquiries of the kingdom of 1258 mention some couples in the parishes of Arnóia, Caçarilhe and Carvalho, who were obliged to feed the castle's guard dogs and prepare the lime needed for their preservation.

The medieval castle

The construction period must date back to the end of the 10th century or the beginning of the 11th century, and is believed to be linked to the defense of the neighboring Monastery of São Bento de Arnóia, also founded in that period. This reasoning is supported by the date 1034, marked on the tombstone of the castle's mayor (and probable founder of the monastery, according to some authors), Múnio Muniz, in the cloister of that monastery.

In the 13th century, the Inquiries of the kingdom of 1258 mention some couples in the parishes of Arnóia, Caçarilhe and Carvalho, who were forced to feed the castle's guard dogs and prepare the lime necessary for its preservation.

With the death of King Afonso III (1210-1279), having paid homage to D. Brites or Beatriz (dowager queen and executor of the deceased), the mayor of this castle, Martim Vasques da Cunha, after the lady's removal to Castile due to disagreements with Denis of Portugal (1279-1325), had difficulties with the new sovereign, who refused to release him from his promise of honour. According to tradition, having consulted several European courts on how to proceed honorably in this impasse, he made the garrison and people leave the castle, locking himself inside. Having set fire to one of the rooms inside, he "saved himself" by descending through a basket suspended by a rope tied to one of the Battlements. In this way, he was relieved of his duties without violating the commitment of honor he had made. Whether the story is true or not, it is a fact that, in 1282, Denis of Portugal leased the domains of Celorico de Basto to Martim Joanes, for the sum of 210 morabitinos, with the obligation that the lessee hire a knight to act as mayor of this castle. The domains and the castle were leased by the same sovereign in 1284 to the residents of Celorico de Basto.

At the dawn of the 15th century, John I of Portugal (1385-1433) donated the lordship of Celorico de Basto and its castle to Gil Vasques da Cunha (1402), which denotes the importance and tradition of this family in the region. In the following century, Manuel I of Portugal (1495-1521) granted a charter to Celorico de Basto (March 29, 1520), establishing the municipal seat in Arnóia, the site of the castle.

In the context of the Philippine Dynasty, in the 17th century, the mayorship was held by the Castro family.

From the 18th century to the present day

According to what is said, due to the great isolation of the town, King John V of Portugal (1706-1750) ordered the change of the seat of the Municipality of Arnóia to the place of Freixieiro in Britelo, henceforth called Vila Nova do Freixieiro, today Celorico de Basto (21 April 1719). The change accelerated the process of decline of Arnóia.

In the mid-20th century, Arnóia Castle was classified as a National Monument by Decree published on 15 March 1946. Nowadays, under the care of the Portuguese Institute of Architectural Heritage (IPPAR), which completed consolidation and restoration work, the Monument reopened to the public in January 2004.

Features

Castle of reduced proportions, with an organic irregular polygonal plan (adapted to the shape of the terrain). For its construction, excavation work was carried out, aiming to make access difficult.

The walls, in granite stonework, are crossed by a parapet and reinforced to the north by a solid cubelo. In the southern sector, there is an entrance gate with a straight lintel portal, preceded by an access staircase and defended by the Keep, with a quadrangular plan. The door to this one, facing the Plaza de Armas, opens about three meters from the ground. It is accessed by an external staircase, built in the 1970s. The interior is divided into three floors (the lower one as a basement and the two upper ones as rooms) and access to the hipped roof is, in turn, via an internal staircase. The top of the tower is surmounted by Merlons.

In the center of the parade ground, delimited by the walls, lies the castle cistern. Outside, on the slope to the north, is the old gallows, set in a stretch of pine and oak forest. Both this and the Pelourinho were restored in the 1960s.