Former Town Hall (Paços Do Concelho)

Castelo Novo is one of the Historic Villages of Portugal, a granite settlement on the lower slopes of the Serra da Gardunha in the municipality of Fundão, and its old town hall, the Paços do Concelho, is a good place to understand how the village once governed itself. Until the 19th century Castelo Novo was a seat of local administration with its own council, and the building where the councillors met still stands near the centre, facing a small square.

The design is typical of Portuguese municipal buildings of its period. It has two floors, with the ground level originally used for practical purposes such as storage or a jail and the upper level, the so-called noble floor, reserved for council meetings and official business. The upper floor opens onto a terrace with arcades, which gave the officials a shaded loggia overlooking the square and allowed announcements and ceremonies to be seen by the village. The granite walls and simple lines match the surrounding houses, and the building looks like part of the village rather than something imposed on it.

The square around it is the best part of the visit. Nearby stands a large Baroque fountain from the 18th century, associated with the reign of John V, a monument that sits oddly large in so small a place and shows the importance given to a public water supply. Close by, a carved pelican in the Manueline style, a royal emblem of the late 15th and early 16th centuries, can be found, evidence of the village's link with the crown. Behind and above the village rise the ruins of the medieval castle that gave the place its name, reached by a short walk uphill along stepped lanes.

Castelo Novo is small enough to explore on foot in a couple of hours. Lanes of dark granite houses, some with outside stairs and wooden balconies, lead between squares and chapels. The Gardunha mountains above are known for their cherry orchards, which bloom in spring, and the area has pleasant walking routes through chestnut woods and viewpoints over the Cova da Beira plain.

The building suits history readers, photographers, and travellers interested in rural architecture. Look at the arcade and the square in the morning light, then continue uphill to the castle for the view.