Bragança Castle

Bragança Castle stands at the top of the walled citadel, the old upper town of Bragança, in the far north-east of Portugal. The hill has been fortified since early times, and the castle was built and rebuilt from the 12th century to defend a border region that was often at war with Castile. Its walls enclose an irregular area, with a tall keep, a series of towers, and a central courtyard, and the whole is built of the grey granite of the region. The stone gives it a stern appearance, but from the wall-walks you look out over a gentle landscape of plains and distant mountains.

The keep, the Torre de Menagem, is the most impressive feature. A square tower rising high above the walls, it was the last refuge of the defenders, and it is now home to a military museum, where weapons, uniforms, and objects explain the history of the garrison and the region. Climbing to the top gives the best views of the citadel's roofs, the new town below, and the plain beyond. Inside the walls, the cobbled streets of the citadel are lined with old houses, and a small church and a stone pillory with a prehistoric granite boar, a relic of the Iron Age, stand in the main square.

Next to the castle stands one of the most unusual medieval buildings in Portugal, the Domus Municipalis. This pentagonal stone structure, thought to date from the 12th or 13th century, probably served as a meeting place for the town council and also as a water cistern. Its Romanesque arcade is unique in the country, and it is one of the best-preserved civic buildings of its type in Europe. A visit to the castle is naturally combined with this building and the church of Santa Maria next to it.

The name of Bragança is known across the country because it gave its name to the House of Braganza, the dynasty that ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1910 and Brazil for part of the 19th century. Today the city is the main centre of the Trás-os-Montes region, with a lively old quarter, regional specialities such as smoked sausages and roast kid, and nearby natural parks.

The castle can be visited daily, with hours and charges that vary by season, so check before going. It suits history readers, families, and photographers, and takes about an hour, more if you also visit the museum and the Domus Municipalis.