It is located in the village of Ponte de Lima, district of Viana do Castelo, Northern Portugal
Currently, little remains of the defenses of the Ponte de Lima Walls, but they are linked to the oldest town in the country, on the banks of the Lima River and capital of Alto Minho in the 15th century.
History of the Walls of Ponte de Lima
The primitive human occupation is linked to the crossing of the Lima River where there was originally a Roman bridge replaced in the Middle Ages by another.
The primitive occupation, in addition to the natural route constituted by the river that connected the coast with the interior, established a crossroads with the old Roman road (via XIX of the Antonine Itinerary) that went from Braga to Astorga, passing through Lugo and Tui, used later, in the Middle Ages, by pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compostela.
In the context of the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, this dynamic medieval town received its charter from Countess D. Teresa, institutionalizing its fair on March 4, 1125.
In this document it is stated that he decided to found a village in the place called "Ponte", granting privileges to all who settled there.
The late fortification, its defenses were started under the reign of D. Pedro (1357-1367) with the crushing of the stone for the town's fence starting on March 8, 1359 and the wall on July 3-6 of the same year, according to the epigraphic inscription originally in the Old Tower.
The work was completed during the reign of D. Fernando (1367-1383) and played a strategic role under the reign of D. João I (1385-1433).
At the time of the Discoveries, it accumulated profits from the exploitation of sugar and gold in Brazil, which is reflected to this day in the richness of its architectural, civil and ecclesiastical heritage.
The small castle built in 1469 by D. Leonel de Lima, 1st Viscount of Vila Nova de Cerveira (transformed into a Palace in the 18th century) and under the reign of D. Manuel I (1495-1521) by Torre da Cadeia and Porta Nova.
From the 18th century onwards, the town grew, absorbing the late-medieval fence and the Council authorized the demolition of parts of the old fence to reuse its stone (1787).
The primitive occupation, in addition to the natural route constituted by the river that connected the coast with the interior, established a crossroads with the old Roman road (via XIX of the Antonine Itinerary) that went from Braga to Astorga, passing through Lugo and Tui, used later, in the Middle Ages, by pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compostela.
In the context of the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, this dynamic medieval town received its charter from Countess D. Teresa, institutionalizing its fair on March 4, 1125.
In this document it is stated that he decided to found a village in the place called "Ponte", granting privileges to all who settled there.
The late fortification, its defenses were started under the reign of D. Pedro (1357-1367) with the crushing of the stone for the town's fence starting on March 8, 1359 and the wall on July 3-6 of the same year, according to the epigraphic inscription originally in the Old Tower.
The work was completed during the reign of D. Fernando (1367-1383) and played a strategic role under the reign of D. João I (1385-1433).
At the time of the Discoveries, it accumulated profits from the exploitation of sugar and gold in Brazil, which is reflected to this day in the richness of its architectural, civil and ecclesiastical heritage.
The small castle built in 1469 by D. Leonel de Lima, 1st Viscount of Vila Nova de Cerveira (transformed into a Palace in the 18th century) and under the reign of D. Manuel I (1495-1521) by Torre da Cadeia and Porta Nova.
From the 18th century onwards, the town grew, absorbing the late-medieval fence and the Council authorized the demolition of parts of the old fence to reuse its stone (1787).
Characteristics of the Walls of Ponte de Lima
The late-medieval fence had an irregular oval plan that was relatively extensive for more than a kilometer, defended by a barbican reinforced by nine towers.
The Gothic-style bridge is defended by two towers: the Old Tower (to the North), and the Bridge Tower, at the opposite end inscribed in the defense of the town, and in the 15th century the Castle Tower was built next to the citadel, to the South.
The fence originally had nine towers and the Gothic-style bridge defended by two towers: Torre Velha (North), Torre da Ponte at the opposite end, inscribed in the defense of the village.
In the 15th century, the Castle Tower was built next to the citadel and to the south and from the primitive Roman bridge, five round arches remain on the south side, contrasting with the pointed arches corresponding to the late-medieval reconstruction.
Access to the town was through six doors, of which the so-called "Porta Nova" remains and two of the original towers remain: the Prison Tower, known as Torre da Porta Nova, is the result of works built during the reign of D. Manuel I to install the County Correctional Facility, having been completed in 1511.
The structure features overlapping mullioned windows crowned by pyramidal merlons and bears on the south elevation the sovereign's coat of arms and an armillary sphere.
Currently, the broken arch door on its lower floor has been opened and work has been carried out to lower it.
The Tower of São Paulo with a quadrangular plan crowned by Merlões was erected in the 14th century, integrating it into the Cerca da Vila.
Its name is due to the existence of an image of this saint in a small building above the gate that was adjacent to it.
On the outside, on the side facing the river, there is a panel of tiles by Jorge Colaço representing the episode of D. Afonso Henriques in Cabração (Cabras São Senhor!).
The river's floods are marked on the elevation of Rua do Postigo almost at the level of the pavement where a Gothic inscription can be read: "Here the river arrived through the risk".
Currently, the Torre da Cadeia Velha and the Torre S. Paulo are located in Largo da Picota, Vila de Ponte de Lima and the wall that unites them, the Torre da Cadeia Velha and the Torre de S. Paulo are notorious testimonies of what remains of the old wall of Ponte de Lima made up of towers and doors and a complex built during the reign of D. Pedro I in the 14th century.
The Torre da Cadeia Velha adapted to a prison in the 16th century (D. Manuel I) currently houses the Tourist Shop and hosts temporary exhibitions.
Visitors on a walk through the historic center will find traces of the towers and walls, and marks placed on the pavement evoke the disappeared monumental structure.
The Gothic-style bridge is defended by two towers: the Old Tower (to the North), and the Bridge Tower, at the opposite end inscribed in the defense of the town, and in the 15th century the Castle Tower was built next to the citadel, to the South.
The fence originally had nine towers and the Gothic-style bridge defended by two towers: Torre Velha (North), Torre da Ponte at the opposite end, inscribed in the defense of the village.
In the 15th century, the Castle Tower was built next to the citadel and to the south and from the primitive Roman bridge, five round arches remain on the south side, contrasting with the pointed arches corresponding to the late-medieval reconstruction.
Access to the town was through six doors, of which the so-called "Porta Nova" remains and two of the original towers remain: the Prison Tower, known as Torre da Porta Nova, is the result of works built during the reign of D. Manuel I to install the County Correctional Facility, having been completed in 1511.
The structure features overlapping mullioned windows crowned by pyramidal merlons and bears on the south elevation the sovereign's coat of arms and an armillary sphere.
Currently, the broken arch door on its lower floor has been opened and work has been carried out to lower it.
The Tower of São Paulo with a quadrangular plan crowned by Merlões was erected in the 14th century, integrating it into the Cerca da Vila.
Its name is due to the existence of an image of this saint in a small building above the gate that was adjacent to it.
On the outside, on the side facing the river, there is a panel of tiles by Jorge Colaço representing the episode of D. Afonso Henriques in Cabração (Cabras São Senhor!).
The river's floods are marked on the elevation of Rua do Postigo almost at the level of the pavement where a Gothic inscription can be read: "Here the river arrived through the risk".
Currently, the Torre da Cadeia Velha and the Torre S. Paulo are located in Largo da Picota, Vila de Ponte de Lima and the wall that unites them, the Torre da Cadeia Velha and the Torre de S. Paulo are notorious testimonies of what remains of the old wall of Ponte de Lima made up of towers and doors and a complex built during the reign of D. Pedro I in the 14th century.
The Torre da Cadeia Velha adapted to a prison in the 16th century (D. Manuel I) currently houses the Tourist Shop and hosts temporary exhibitions.
Visitors on a walk through the historic center will find traces of the towers and walls, and marks placed on the pavement evoke the disappeared monumental structure.
Classification of Ponte de Lima Walls
The walls of Ponte de Lima, such as the Torre da Cadeia Velha and the Torre de São Paulo, were classified as Buildings of Public Interest on March 20, 1945.
