CinX's Travels 2015

[CinX]

Monsanto was voted in 1938 the "most Portuguese village in Portugal" nestles on the slope of a steep hill (the Monsanto head, known in Latin as Mons Sanctus), which rises abruptly above the prairy and reaches a height of 758 meters (2486 feet).

The most typical aspect of Monsanto is the fact that the village developed around impressively big and miraculously balanced granitic boulders.

One of the most symbolic traditions of Monsanto is the Festival of the Holy Cross, held on the 3rd of May, to commemorate the resistance to a long history of sieges: the women carry to the top of the castle typical rag-dolls (known as "marafonas") and clay jars full of flowers are thrown from the walls.

Monsanto stands in the Northeast side of Idanha Lands, nestled on a steep hill slope - Monsanto hillock (Mons Sanctus), which abruptly rises out of the prairie and reaches758 meters on its highest point. There are several hamlets scattered along the several slopes and at the bottom of the hill, which shows the population movements towards the plain. It's a very ancient place with evidence of human presence since the Paleolithic Era. They found archaeological evidence of a Lusitanian fortress and of Roman occupation in St. Laurence's field, at the foot of the hill, as well as of Visigoth and Arabian occupation. King Afonso Henriques conquered Monsanto from the Moors and, in 1165, granted it to the Templar monks who had the Castle built under the orders of Gualdim Pais. King Afonso Henriques first chartered the village in 1174 and then King Sancho I (1190) and King Afonso III (1217) confirmed the Charter. King Sancho I rebuilt and repopulated the fortress, which had been destroyed during the fights against the king of Leão. In 1308, King Dinis granted it a Charter, which allowed a fair to take place near the Chapel of São Pedro de Vir-a-Corça. King Manuel I granted it a New Charter in 1510, giving it the right to be a Town.

In the middle of the 17th century, Luis de Haro, Minister for Filipe IV, tried to siege Monsanto, but he had no success. Later on, in the beginnings of the 18th century, the Duke of Berwick also laid siege to Monsanto but the Portuguese Army, commanded by the Marquis of Minas, defeated the invader on the slopes of the hill. In 1758, Monsanto was a municipality, having kept this privilege untill 1853. In the 19th Century, the imposing Castle of Monsanto was partly destroyed by the accidental explosion of the munitions storeroom.

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[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Our accommodation...

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Going out for a walk...

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Fantastic views...

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Castelo de Monsanto, in the Beira Baixa Province, is located in the parish and village of Monsanto (Idanha-a-Nova), in the Castelo Branco District, Portugal. It is classified as a National Monument.

At the top of the granite mountain of Monsanto, on the right bank of the river frontier Ponsul, this medieval castle dominates the historical village of Monsanto (Idanha-a-Nova). The architectural highlight some stately mansions and temples, and the ruins of the Capela de São Miguel in the Romanesque style (Look up: Romanesque architecture).

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

Monsanto by cinxxx, on Flickr

[CinX]

We drive from Monsanto towards Castelo de Vide...

Castelo Branco seen from the road (we don't stop here)

Castelo Branco by cinxxx, on Flickr

Desert like landscapes are very common on Eastern Portugal

Untitled by cinxxx, on Flickr

Untitled by cinxxx, on Flickr