History and Archaeology

Occupied by human beings since time immemorial, the Arouca Geopark holds evidence of various periods of human occupation, from prehistory to the present day.

Dolmens, hill forts, churches, pillories and the Monastery are some of the sites left behind by those who passed through or inhabited this territory.

Arouca Geopark is home to five archaeological sites classified as National Monuments, one as a Site of Public Interest, seven as Properties of Public Interest and one as a Monument of Municipal Interest.

Prehistoric remains in Arouca Geopark can be seen in various regions, from the highlands to the western part of the territory.

Discover some of the sites from this period:

Portela da Anta Dolmen

The space was named after the funerary monument that dominates it: a large megalithic mass grave, where some of the oldest inhabitants of the Serra da Freita were buried. The tumulus surrounding the tomb is around 35 meters in diameter, with a dolmen and corridor in the middle.

More information at: Portela da Anta

Dating back to the Bronze Age and around 3,000 years old, it is approximately 12 meters in diameter and 50 centimeters high.

Recently delimited by a small stone wall, the archaeological campaigns revealed a small tumulus covered in earth and stone. In the center, there was a pit grave, covered by a large granite slab, where the remains of an individual or their ashes may have been deposited.

Among the archaeological remains found was a lump of “Pedra Parideira”, intentionally placed at the base of the monument, the symbolism of which is unknown.

On a granite cliff in Senhora da Lage you can find bas-reliefs of animal hooves, probably cattle, and an alignment of six dimples.

Their true meaning is now lost, but it is believed that, like other rock art, they were a form of communication between and within groups.

On the hill of Senhor dos Aflitos, in Alvarenga, there is a settlement with a privileged view over the Alvarenga valley and the River Paiva, which was probably occupied during the Bronze Age (around 3,000 years ago).

At the top of the hill is a well-preserved private chapel, built in 1892 in fulfillment of a promise.

From 716 BC, Rome was at the origin of a new Mediterranean power. In the 2nd century BC, they invaded and conquered the Iberian Peninsula, which was inhabited by relatively peaceful people, and their occupation was facilitated by the acculturation of the indigenous peoples, in a process known as Romanization.

These are some of the sites that show the occupation, or the passage, of the Romans through our territory:

Romano da Malafaia couple

Este arqueossítio foi descoberto no ano de 1987 e nele foram realizados diversos trabalhos arqueológicos em 1995-1997, 2001-2008, 2013 e 2018 que puseram a descoberto um significativo conjunto de ruínas. Os edifícios da Época Romana revelam diversas fases construtivas e configuram, no essencial, dois conjuntos.

A nordeste, veem-se duas paredes de um edifício de grandes dimensões, de planta ortogonal; a sudoeste existe uma outra construção, com vários compartimentos definindo, provavelmente, um pátio interno. Entre os elementos arquitetónicos mais notáveis, estão dois capitéis jónicos, em granito, certamente correspondentes à fase construtiva mais antiga.

Outside the church of Fermêdo there is a Roman tombstone in pink marble. The epitaph identifies the grave of Laetus, son of Catura and a native of Aviobriga. The inscription reads as follows: “Here is buried Laetus of Aviobriga, son of Caturo, who died at the age of 28. Niger, his brother, had this monument made according to his will, in harmony with the arbitration of Quintus Laberius Exoratus of Lisbon”.

A Calçada Romana do Cruzeiro é uma via secundária que terá sido parte integrante do caminho que, partindo da cidade de Vissaium (Viseu), atravessaria todo o planalto serrano, seguindo em direção ao litoral.

Por esta via, terão circulado pessoas e mercadorias no correr do dia-a-dia, mesmo após a queda do Império Romano e, por essa razão, o seu pavimento terá sofrido profundos arranjos e reformulações, ao longo dos séculos, até chegar aos nossos dias.

The Conheiras, visible on the right bank of the river Paiva, in the village of Janarde, are depressions and heaps of pebbles and cobbles that have been washed away, the result of the alluvial gold mining that took place here during the Roman period.

This gold-mining pit from the Roman period is also known as Poço dos Mouros. The auriferous veins were mined at depth using thermal shock.

A fire would be lit on the rock for long periods. Cold water or vinegar was then thrown on it, causing it to fracture.

Steps and flattened platforms were found on the lower levels, where there may have been mechanical means of vertical elevation that facilitated the extraction of materials.

Arouca was not exempt from the damaging effects of the Muslim Invasion, which began in the 8th century. As the first border to the north was defined by the River Douro, Arouca played an essential role in the conflict between the 8th and 10th centuries. In the 10th century, at the height of the Christian Reconquest, there was a small Benedictine monastery here which, in the 13th century, gave way to a new community made up of the daughters of the highest nobility, which grew exponentially in the latter century with the arrival of a king’s daughter: D. Mafalda.

Discover some of the Medieval sites:

Carvalhais Castle

O Castelo de Carvalhais, localizado em Alvarenga, era um castelo roqueiro da época da Reconquista (IX – XII), implantado num cabeço rochoso, de morfologia cónica, sobre um meandro do Rio Paiva. Um profundo fosso foi talhado na base, como forma de dificultar o acesso e aumentar a eficácia defensiva.

Ao longo de mais de 2000 anos, o monte de Valinhas foi ocupado pelo Homem. Nos inícios da época castreja, a dominância visual foi propícia à fixação de uma comunidade. As construções romanas que ocupariam grande parte do topo deste monte foram, parcialmente, destruídas ou reutilizadas durante a Idade Média, aquando do «encastelamento» deste lugar, algures entre os séculos X e XI.

No pequeno cabeço que aqui se eleva, instalou-se a parte mais expressiva da fortificação de cariz militar que, nos tempos da Reconquista Cristã, assegurava a proteção das fronteiras e da população. O Castelo de Arouca, roqueiro, de caráter local, integrava a rede defensiva a sul do Rio Douro, num território em permanente tensão com os muçulmanos.

A igreja matriz de Urrô terá sido edificada em período medieval, entre o final do séc. XII e o início do séc. XIII. O atual edifício resulta da reformulação desse primeiro templo, que terá ocorrido durante a 2ª metade do séc. 16. Este é um imóvel classificado como de Interesse Público. De características maneiristas, apresenta uma estrutura exterior inspirada em padrões medievais. O frontispício do templo, onde foi edificado um simples portal, é sobreposto por uma janela e pelo campanário, criando um espaço avançado que antecede o corpo da igreja.

Mais informações em Igreja de S. Miguel de Urrô.

Edificado entre os séculos XII e XIII, foi classificado como Monumento Nacional em 1910 e é um dos raros exemplos do Românico no concelho de Arouca. Popularmente associado à passagem do cortejo fúnebre da Rainha Santa Mafalda, o significado deste monumento não é ainda bem conhecido. Terá funcionado como túmulo de um individuo de elevada posição social, ou tratar-se-ia apenas de um marco memorial, edificado no trajeto de funerais ou procissões.

Mais informações Memorial de Santo António.

Com transformações arquitetónicas ao longo dos séculos, a «Torre dos Mouros» mantem a sua estrutura medieval, organizada em três pisos de madeira e apenas uma entrada pelo piso térreo. Esta residência senhorial fortificada, data da baixa Idade Média, séc. XIII/XIV, e é propriedade privada.

O primeiro Mosteiro de Arouca data do século X, em pleno período da Reconquista Cristã, e apresentava-se como um pequeno cenóbio beneditino.

Mafalda, filha de D. Sancho I e neta de D. Afonso Henriques, escolheu o Mosteiro de Arouca como lugar para viver e veio gerir os destinos deste espaço eclesiástico. Nessa altura, o Mosteiro abandonou o hábito beneditino e optou pelo de Cister. A partir do ingresso de D. Mafalda, este mosteiro acolheu as filhas da mais ilustre nobreza do reino, que traziam consigo bens e dinheiro para o pagamento de propinas.

A partir de meados do século XV, a paisagem foi ganhando novos contornos. A construção mais marcante foi o Mosteiro de Arouca onde, a partir do século XIII, depois da chegada de Mafalda Sanches, se registou um enorme crescimento, atingindo o seu apogeu material e espiritual, no século XVIII, tendo em conta o novo edifício e beatificação de Dona Mafalda, em 1792.

Além disso, ao longo da Época Moderna, foram erguidos quatro pelourinhos, símbolos da autonomia municipal, e as casas senhoriais dispersas pelos vales deixaram sua marca na arquitetura privada.

Church of Our Conception in Rossas

Built during the 16th century, the parish church of Rossas was the successor to an earlier church, which was located nearby, possibly in Campo da Portela, next to the River Urtigosa. With Renaissance features, this building made use of the stonework of the previous church, which was medieval in origin, and even today we can see stonemasons’ sigils on the granite blocks of the side wall. These sigils were varied and functioned as the signatures of the various masters, who marked their work and were essential in accounting for the services carried out, since the workers were paid by the piece. This parish was a lordship and commendation of the Military Order of Malta. Today, in addition to the elements of the church, there are still the milestones that have marked out the territory that belonged to the Comenda since the 17th century.

On the plateau of the Serra da Freita, the Chapel of Senhora da Laje appears discreetly near the village of Merujal. The oldest reference to it is from 1630, in the demarcation deed of the Comenda de Rossas. This small rectangular sanctuary was built in the Baroque style between the 17th and 18th centuries. Around it are 13 granite crosses, the oldest dating from 1652, representing the parishes of Arouca, Vale de Cambra and São Pedro do Sul.

On the plateau of the Serra da Freita, the Chapel of Senhora da Laje appears discreetly near the village of Merujal. The oldest reference to it is from 1630, in the demarcation deed of the Comenda de Rossas. This small rectangular sanctuary was built in the Baroque style between the 17th and 18th centuries. Around it are 13 granite crosses, the oldest dating from 1652, representing the parishes of Arouca, Vale de Cambra and São Pedro do Sul.

The Calvary of Arouca is a representation of the place where Christ was crucified and includes six 17th-century crosses, next to which is a cylindrical pulpit, dated 1643, and some little souls. The three crosses at the top symbolize Christ in the center, and the crosses at the sides symbolize the crucifixion of the two thieves who accompanied him in his martyrdom. This Calvary, which rests on a granite outcrop, includes other crosses that are part of the procession route of the Way of the Cross, which ends here.

Also known as “Casa Grande”, this is one of the oldest and most emblematic buildings in the town of Arouca, and its façade is classified as a Monument of Municipal Interest. The Manueline style is evident in the first and last body of the house, while the other cannot be classified in any style, although it is just as old. The whole is topped by an 18th century chapel. On its porch you can see an 18th century Baroque coat of arms with the arms of the Malafaia, Pereira, Mascarenhas and Castro families.

The old town of Fermedo was granted a charter by King Afonso III in 1275, whose charter already mentions the granting of a previous charter, of unknown date. In 1514, King Manuel I granted a new charter. The pillory stands in the square of the old Town Hall. With a smooth, cylindrical shaft resting on a high, molded pedestal, at the top of this pillory is a spheroid with an inverted national shield on one side, crowned by garlands.

The parish of Alvarenga was once a municipality based in Trancoso. King Manuel I granted a charter to the municipality of Alvarenga on May 2, 1514, and it retained this status until 1836. In that year, it became a town and later became part of the municipality of Arouca, as a result of Passos Manuel’s administrative reform. As a testimony to Alvarenga’s administrative autonomy, a cylindrical pillory was built in 1590, with a collar and a shield on the banner, bearing the date of construction. Next to this pillory is the old Town Hall, built in 1520.

The parish of Burgo was once a town and the seat of the municipality, with the name Vila Meã do Burgo. It was granted a charter in 1229 by Infanta D. Mafalda, crowning a long history of privileges granted to the lands next to the Monastery of Arouca. A symbol of its administrative autonomy, the pillory stands on two quadrangular steps, with an octagonal prism base with smooth faces and a smooth circular shaft, culminating in a small molded pedestal supporting a flattened sphere. Vila Meã do Burgo was incorporated into the municipality of Arouca in 1817.

The Monastery of Arouca functioned from an early stage as the administrative and economic center of the region. The first charters were granted by King Afonso Henriques in 1132 and 1143. Later, D. Sancho I left the monastery to his daughter, D. Mafalda, who granted Vila Meã do Burgo a charter. The Manueline charter of 1513 confirmed duties and rights. Following the granting of the charter, the Manueline-style ball pillory was erected, with a capital flanked by two royal shields and topped by an armillary sphere.

Afonso I gave Arouca a charter in April 1151, confirmed by his grandson Afonso II in Coimbra in November 1217. On December 20, 1513, King Manuel gave Arouca a new charter, confirming the duties and rights of the inhabitants of Arouca as a municipality.

The current square resulted from the connection of two other squares, the upper one, in front of the Monastery, where the church of São Bartolomeu was located, and the lower one, in front of the Chapel of Misericórdia, completed in 1612, with the Monastery giving the land and some money. In front, in the churchyard, there was the cemetery of the Brothers of Mercy. Next door, during the 18th and 19th centuries, the town hall and jail were built. The parish church, dedicated to Saint Bartholomew, was destroyed as a result of the urban development of the town of Arouca, namely the opening of the avenue. At the beginning of the 20th century, the fountain was built as the central feature of the square.

The handing over of properties to the monastery’s former landowners, the fall of the Monarchy and the subsequent establishment of the Republic, disrupted community life from the 19th century onwards. Events on a global scale, such as the Great Wars, initially created a great local economic dynamic, as Arouca hid a valuable mineral, tungsten, beneath its soil.

After this period, Arouca’s urban space was reorganized and, with the establishment of the democratic regime after April 25, the development of the territory was implemented. In 2009, Arouca was recognized as a UNESCO World Geopark.

The search for “black gold” in Regoufe and Rio de Frades

In Arouca, the areas with the most tungsten extraction were Alvarenga, Regoufe and Rio de Frades, where the peak of mineral exploitation occurred during the Second World War, between 1939 and 1945. It is noteworthy that, in nearby locations, concessions were granted to companies from two of the warring countries: in Regoufe, exploration was carried out by the English Company and in Rio de Frades by Companhia Mineira do Norte de Portugal, under German administration. Both places were visited by many hundreds of workers from all over the country. “Towns” sprang up there, providing nothing for those who worked there. Both companies created access to these places, which until then had only been reached on foot or by ox carts, and which boosted the growth and development of the town of Arouca, which was limited to a short period.

The Marialva River rises on the slope between the Senhora de Mó and Santa Luzia hills and once ran through the center of the town of Arouca. However, the heavy damage caused by flooding during periods of higher rainfall, especially the floods of 1929 and 1934, meant that it had to be piped. This work began on November 27, 1945 and ended on June 30, 1949.

The Harvest Fair was created in 1944 with the aim of promoting agriculture and encouraging farming practices, after it was abandoned during World War II due to the tungsten rush. Over the years, the Harvest Fair has promoted local products, handicrafts, traditions, folklore and polyphony and is currently the largest municipal event.

More information in “Events”

In 2009, Arouca was recognized as a UNESCO World Geopark, which made it possible to develop and implement a series of investments and create various tourist attractions, such as interpretation centers, access platforms to geosites, the Paiva Walkways and the 516 Arouca – suspension bridge. Arouca Geopark now combines the history of human occupation of the region with geological knowledge and the formation of the territory, with the preservation of biodiversity, supported by territorial policies to promote tourism, culture, industry, agriculture and forestry, creating more and better living conditions.