PORTUGALS MOST BEAUTIFUL TOWN - EXPLORING A MEDIEVAL FAIRY TALE CASTLE VILLAGE -WHY IS IT ABANDONED?
30.7 هزار بار بازدید -
3 سال پیش
-
Hi there! I am Joseph.I
Hi there! I am Joseph.
I have been an immigrant, or expat, living in central Portugal along with my beautiful girlfriend Mariana for six years now.
Together Mariana, my father Clinton and myself, would like to show you a bit of the daily goings on around our Portuguese farm / homestead / smallholding and all of the work we are doing whilst renovating, starting building projects, working with our livestock, DIY and trying to grow our little families own food!
In this episode we welcome you to join us in early autumn time as we visit and give you a virtual tour of one of the twelve historic, fairy tale, rural granite mountain villages. Today we visit the village of Sortelha in central Portugal.
Me and Mariana begin by introducing ourselves on a beautiful cobbled street, underneath the main gate to the stronghold, where the castle is standing ominously behind us, here we talk a little about what we expect to see and do in the village.
First things first we walk through the large wooden castle gates, which lead us to the keep of the stronghold. It is here where the villagers would have held markets and exchanged wares back in the year 1228 when the castle village was first founded and onwards through to maybe the 18th century.
We took a look around the main marketplace, with the castle towering over us. Looked at the large tree that stands centrepiece to the village square and looked down the well, a regular visiting place for villagers no doubt.
After that, Mariana and I decided to have a bite to eat, so we made our way to Don Sancho, the villages restaurant. We were fortunate enough to meet the owner, Maria de Ceu, who gave us a tour of the restaurant and bar, where we spotted an ancient, medieval piece of taxidermy, a large deer's head, no doubt hunted in the zone some many years ago. Shortly after we sat down at the table and ate lunch, a beautiful three course meal of local sheep and cow cheese, presunto and rustic local bread to start. Guisado do veado, venison stew for me, mistura dos porcos, mixed grill of pork cuts for Mariana, a regional red wine and a dessert of more cheeses and pumpkin compote. I highly recommend a visit to this restaurant!
Shortly afterwards Mariana and I took a slow meander to the main castle gate and portcullis. We walked up the steps and explored inside the 13th century castle, which was very well preserved indeed! I tried to get up to the main tower which proved difficult. I also explained a little about the fortifications and medieval defences of the castle, the machicolations, arrow slits, layout of the castle, treason door to name a few.
Next we walked down the fairy tale granite steps and out of the main castle gate, feeling like we were the characters of a Lord of the Rings tale, or Game of Thrones perhaps! We took a peek inside the artisan shops, where we met a local gentleman who explained a few of the 'must see' areas of the village. He also explained to us the significance of the town hall, which later became a primary school in the village, you can still see the crest of King Manuel, dating back to the 16th century on the walls. The lower part of the town hall used to be a prison with a pillory too!
Following this we walking around the belfry tower, church and torch tower, which would have been lit to signify to other castles around that the Spaniards, Portugal's neighbouring country and often time past enemy, were making advancements and all should prepare for battle!
At the end of the day Mariana and I finish our tour of the castle, speak a little about the other interesting things we have found and the reason behind Portugal's most beautiful town becoming an abandoned ghost town, depopulation as the residents decide it is worth moving away and buying houses in the neighbouring cities where money can be made easier. I cannot blame them for this of course, needs must after all.
Finally we finished looking around the different little stone village houses and sat down back in the main square, where behind us you can see the 'beijos eternos' or the eternal kiss. A pair of granite stones that were formed over thousands of years to appear as if they were left kissing, for all eternity. On this gorgeous note we finish up expressing our delight in having viewed this amazing castle village. Waving goodbye to Sortelha and leaving through the main gates, heading back to our farm.
See our journey to self sufficiency / permaculture / organic farming as expats living in Portugal, trying to produce as much of our own food planting vegetables, growing fruit trees as well as looking after all our animals, such as our chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, quail, rabbits and sheep - Shortly pigs too!
Hobby farming in Fundão
- Growing vegetables, raising meat and foraging on our cherry farm in Portugal’s Beira baixa.
Follow us on Instagram @farmerforfun
PLEASE HELP US TO CONTINUE CREATING THIS CONTENT BY CONTRIBUTING TO US ON PATREON
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=57432054
I have been an immigrant, or expat, living in central Portugal along with my beautiful girlfriend Mariana for six years now.
Together Mariana, my father Clinton and myself, would like to show you a bit of the daily goings on around our Portuguese farm / homestead / smallholding and all of the work we are doing whilst renovating, starting building projects, working with our livestock, DIY and trying to grow our little families own food!
In this episode we welcome you to join us in early autumn time as we visit and give you a virtual tour of one of the twelve historic, fairy tale, rural granite mountain villages. Today we visit the village of Sortelha in central Portugal.
Me and Mariana begin by introducing ourselves on a beautiful cobbled street, underneath the main gate to the stronghold, where the castle is standing ominously behind us, here we talk a little about what we expect to see and do in the village.
First things first we walk through the large wooden castle gates, which lead us to the keep of the stronghold. It is here where the villagers would have held markets and exchanged wares back in the year 1228 when the castle village was first founded and onwards through to maybe the 18th century.
We took a look around the main marketplace, with the castle towering over us. Looked at the large tree that stands centrepiece to the village square and looked down the well, a regular visiting place for villagers no doubt.
After that, Mariana and I decided to have a bite to eat, so we made our way to Don Sancho, the villages restaurant. We were fortunate enough to meet the owner, Maria de Ceu, who gave us a tour of the restaurant and bar, where we spotted an ancient, medieval piece of taxidermy, a large deer's head, no doubt hunted in the zone some many years ago. Shortly after we sat down at the table and ate lunch, a beautiful three course meal of local sheep and cow cheese, presunto and rustic local bread to start. Guisado do veado, venison stew for me, mistura dos porcos, mixed grill of pork cuts for Mariana, a regional red wine and a dessert of more cheeses and pumpkin compote. I highly recommend a visit to this restaurant!
Shortly afterwards Mariana and I took a slow meander to the main castle gate and portcullis. We walked up the steps and explored inside the 13th century castle, which was very well preserved indeed! I tried to get up to the main tower which proved difficult. I also explained a little about the fortifications and medieval defences of the castle, the machicolations, arrow slits, layout of the castle, treason door to name a few.
Next we walked down the fairy tale granite steps and out of the main castle gate, feeling like we were the characters of a Lord of the Rings tale, or Game of Thrones perhaps! We took a peek inside the artisan shops, where we met a local gentleman who explained a few of the 'must see' areas of the village. He also explained to us the significance of the town hall, which later became a primary school in the village, you can still see the crest of King Manuel, dating back to the 16th century on the walls. The lower part of the town hall used to be a prison with a pillory too!
Following this we walking around the belfry tower, church and torch tower, which would have been lit to signify to other castles around that the Spaniards, Portugal's neighbouring country and often time past enemy, were making advancements and all should prepare for battle!
At the end of the day Mariana and I finish our tour of the castle, speak a little about the other interesting things we have found and the reason behind Portugal's most beautiful town becoming an abandoned ghost town, depopulation as the residents decide it is worth moving away and buying houses in the neighbouring cities where money can be made easier. I cannot blame them for this of course, needs must after all.
Finally we finished looking around the different little stone village houses and sat down back in the main square, where behind us you can see the 'beijos eternos' or the eternal kiss. A pair of granite stones that were formed over thousands of years to appear as if they were left kissing, for all eternity. On this gorgeous note we finish up expressing our delight in having viewed this amazing castle village. Waving goodbye to Sortelha and leaving through the main gates, heading back to our farm.
See our journey to self sufficiency / permaculture / organic farming as expats living in Portugal, trying to produce as much of our own food planting vegetables, growing fruit trees as well as looking after all our animals, such as our chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, quail, rabbits and sheep - Shortly pigs too!
Hobby farming in Fundão
- Growing vegetables, raising meat and foraging on our cherry farm in Portugal’s Beira baixa.
Follow us on Instagram @farmerforfun
PLEASE HELP US TO CONTINUE CREATING THIS CONTENT BY CONTRIBUTING TO US ON PATREON
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=57432054
3 سال پیش
در تاریخ 1400/07/24 منتشر شده
است.
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