Lamego Castle

Lamego Castle

A castle over the wine country

In the hills of northern Portugal, above the deep valley of the river Douro where some of the world's most famous wines are grown, sits the small but proud city of Lamego. Climbing above its old streets and red roofs is the castle, a square stone keep ringed by walls, keeping watch over the town just as it has for nearly a thousand years.

An important early city

Lamego may be small today, but in the early days of Portugal it was a place of real importance. It sits in the region between the Douro and the older lands of the north, an area that was fought over for centuries during the Reconquest, when Christian and Muslim rulers struggled for control. Whoever held Lamego held a key point on the routes through these hills.

According to old tradition, it was at Lamego that an assembly of nobles and churchmen once met to confirm Afonso Henriques as the first king of Portugal — a story that later Portuguese writers loved to tell, even though historians are not sure it really happened. True or not, the tale shows how proud the people of Lamego were of their city's role in the birth of the kingdom.

The keep and the great cistern

The castle's strong square keep dates from the Middle Ages and offers wonderful views over the town and the surrounding hills. But one of the castle's most remarkable features lies partly underground: a huge vaulted cistern, a great stone tank built to store water. In times of siege, when enemies surrounded the walls and cut off the water supply, this cool, cathedral-like chamber kept the defenders alive. Walking into it today feels like stepping into a hidden stone hall.

A city of pilgrims

Lamego is famous for more than its castle. At the other end of the city, a magnificent baroque shrine, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remédios, is reached by a grand zig-zag stairway of more than 600 steps, decorated with blue-and-white tiles. Each year pilgrims and visitors climb these steps in one of Portugal's great religious festivals, so the little city is well used to welcoming crowds.

Restored and protected

As the centuries passed, the castle lost its military role and parts of it fell into disrepair, with houses crowding up against the old walls. In modern times the keep and cistern have been restored and protected as national monuments, and the area around them tidied so that visitors can explore in comfort.

Visiting today

Visitors who climb to Lamego Castle can explore the medieval keep, step down into the great cistern, and enjoy fine views over the city and the vineyards beyond. Combined with the famous stairway and the sparkling local wine, the castle makes Lamego a delightful place to discover. Small in size but rich in history, it is a reminder that even a little hilltop fortress can hold a big share of a country's story.