Castle of Castelo Mendo
Portugal · Europe
About
Castelo de Castelo Mendo is a castle in Almeida, Portugal. The castle stands at an altitude of 762 meters above the Côa River, and has been classified as a National Monument since 1946. The internal structures of the castle date back to the prehistoric Castro culture, and was further developed under the reign of Sancho I of Portugal. In 1229, Sancho II of Portugal granted the settlement a Charter, notably creating a free street market which helped develop the village economically, and likely establishing a stronghold at this time due to its strategic position in defending the Riba-Côa border. A second wall was built during the reign of Denis of Portugal, though due to the Alcanizes Treaty which reestablished the borders, the site soon lost its strategic potential. Castelo de Castelo Mendo at Direção-Geral do Património Cultural
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.