Imposing and vigilant, the Castle of Lamego was built on top of an ancient Lusitanian fort that was later fortified by the Romans. The Castle has an irregular polygonal plan – adapted to the terrain where it stands, in Gothic, Romanesque and military style. On a lower plane is its surrounding walls.
From the original castle, the vaulted cistern, the fortress with the keep and two doors stand out – to the north, Porta dos Figos or dos Fogos (also called Porta da Vila or Porta do Aguião) and to the south, Porta do Sol, that determine the wall structure of the old Castle.
Close to Porta do Sol, it is “mandatory” to visit an emblazoned house that belonged to the Cistercian Order and that later became “Casa da Roda” – this was intended for the reception of rejected children who were left there anonymously by the their mothers.
The cistern of Lamego Castle – considered one of the best in the country, it is located outside the walls of the weapons square. Built in rectangular stone, it is vaulted and has a ribbed ogive supported by robust bands supported on pillars.
The visitor is so immersed in the past that multiple memories are continuously projected onto the stones that were once just spectators. Now 800 years of everyday sounds from other times can be appreciated, from the rooster, the bell, the preaching, the procession or the laughter.
The visit to the Castle can only be concluded with the climb to the Keep. From here visitors can appreciate the Varosa, Coura and Balsemão rivers. A watchful sentinel over the city, the slopes of the Douro, the lands of Trás-os-Montes and Montemuro, the Tower rises above the surrounding region.
With a quadrangular plan, positioned to the west of the Plaza de Armas, the Tower is internally divided into three sectors, with wooden floors and stairs. It is lit by gaps, some of which have been changed to windows afterwards. The top consists of battlements.