Monsanto is a Historic medieval village in the historic province of Portugal, Beira Baixa.
The settlement was formed around the Brotherhood of Mercy, founded in 1353. This place is notable for the fact that there are many huge boulders around which buildings were erected. People managed to adapt to the surrounding natural landscape and created houses using cobblestones as walls, ceilings, etc. Therefore, some houses look like they are trapped by massive granite boulders.
The village of Monsanto, to which this report is dedicated, is probably the most touristic village in Portugal. It is located between Porto and Lisbon (277 km from the capital), not far from the border with Spain and the highest mountain range of Portugal, Serra da Estrela.
Narrow streets in Monsanto seem to be carved between boulders, and houses are sandwiched between rocky ledges. Over the past eight centuries since the founding of the settlement, the urban relief has changed little.
In 1938, Monsanto was recognized as “the most Portuguese village in Portugal”, where either stones are born from houses, or houses from stones.
Monsanto is visited by hundreds of tourists every day ,visitors from different countries come here to see what kind of village it is, built among huge stone boulders and appropriating itself the title of “The most Portuguese village in Portugal”.
Access : Coordinates: 40.039, -7.114 / Location : Monsanto is located in the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova, Castelo Branco, in the Central Region of Portugal. / Monsanto is located 277 kilometers northeast of Lisbon and 306 kilometers south of Porto.
Highlights :
- After being awarded the title of “the most Portuguese in Portugal” at the national competition, Monsanto became a living museum.
- Torre de Lucano : The high 14th century Torre de Lucano, on top of which sits a silver rooster. This is a copy of the prize received in the competition in 1938. Other important attractions in the territory of Monsanto in sunny Portugal.
- Castle of Monsanto -The medieval ruins of Castelo e muralhas de Monsanto : The village is dominated by the remains of a castle whose impregnable site was already occupied in Roman times.To get to them, you need to go through the village and move to the top of the mountain.
- In 1165, Monsanto was given to the Knights Templar, who built Monsanto Castle there.
- Along with Idania a Velha, which is located nearby, it is included in the list of 12 historical villages (Spanish: Aldeias Historicas de Portugal). Any Portuguese knows where this place is.
- The Portuguese physician and writer Fernando Namora, who lived in the village for some time, called it a “stone ship”.
- The Church of St. Anthony in the Manueline style is located right at the entrance to the village. / the remains of the 12th century chapel of San Miguel./ Torre do Pião: A 12th century Ancient medieval tower.
- The best time to visit the place is September or the period from March to May. The rainy season begins in October.
- Holiday :Festa das Cruzes or do Castelo on May 3 or the Sunday following it , ascend to the sound of traditional Portuguese frame drums to the castle and throw flower-decorated clay pots from the wall, which symbolize the legendary calf.
Go next : Viseu — a charming hilltop city / Guarda, a city in Beira Alta, a region of Central Portugal. / Pinhel ,a city in central Portugal, known as the “Cidade Falcao”.
