It is located on Rua Conde Dom Henrique, in the parish of Oliveira do Castelo, city and municipality of Guimarães, in the district of Braga, Northern Portugal
The monument is linked to the founding of the Portucalense County and Portugal's independence struggles, being popularly designated as the cradle of nationality.
In the context of the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the domains of Vimaranes were granted at the end of the 9th century to a knight of supposed Castilian origin, named Diogo Fernandes, who settled there.
One of his daughters, named Mumadona Dias, married the powerful Count Hermenegildo Gonçalves, ruling the domains of Portucale from the middle of the 10th century until the third quarter of the 11th century.
The Portucalense Countess Mumadona became a widow around 928, and the assets were divided in July 950 among her six children.
The Portuguese Countess Mumadona Dias founded a monastery in the lower part of the village of Vimaranes, which later made a large donation of land, cattle, income, objects of worship and religious books (January 26, 959).
At the end of 950, it was already mentioned in a donation in which the Monastery of Guimarães was mentioned under its jurisdiction, and it was a county foundation from the second half of the 10th century.
Countess Mumadona herself declared in a parchment dated 968 that she had founded it to protect the Guimarães monastery from the attack of the “gentiles” (probably referring to the Normans).
The primitive castle nestled between the granite outcrops must have been built in wood and few traces remain of it.
At the end of the 11th century, during the rule of the counts, D. Henrique and D. Teresa, the castle underwent a profound renovation of which traces remain, especially on the North facade facing Campo de S. Mamede where the base of the walls presents a different phase with large stones.
These remains document an enclosure with a rounded plan, and it was in this castle that a battle took place between Afonso VII of Leão and Castile and the infant D. Afonso Henriques.
In the 12th century, during the time of our first monarch, it underwent a profound renovation from which it began to cover its current perimeter, but still without its eight towers.
The Gothic reforms, during the reign of D. Afonso III or D. Dinis (when the walls of Guimarães were being repaired) underwent a profound renovation that added eight turrets to its perimeter (four of which frame the two entrance doors) and its keep.
In the second half of the 13th century, with the Gothic reforms, the Guimarães castle acquired its current form.
The Castle played a decisive role in the Civil War of 1321-24, which pitted D. Dinis against Infante D. Afonso, heir to the throne that culminated in the Siege of Guimarães of 1322, and its importance was tested again in the Crisis of 1383-85 when it was surrounded by the Master of Avis.
In the 15th century it still maintained some relevance, but from the end of the 14th century it lost its military and strategic importance.
From the 15th century onwards, given advances in artillery, Guimarães Castle lost its defensive function.
The borders were very far apart and the weapons had evolved into pyroballistics (the “firearms”).
From the first years of the 16th century, Guimarães Castle experienced years of abandonment and decay, and without a military function it began to be used as a jail or prison.
Currently, the Castle is well preserved, is open to public visits, and has a plan in the approximate shape of a faceted shield.
Its walls, reinforced by four towers, are torn by doors and a wall, accessed by stairs in the towers, runs along the upper part of the walls crowned by pentagonal battlements with a pointed cutout.
On the west side, a wooden bridge connects the walls with the keep gate.
In the northern section of the walls, the ruins of the old fortress, probably from the 14th century, are visible, which is divided into two floors, highlighting its exterior windows and two chimneys.
The main gate to the west is defended by two clods, with two others defending the treachery gate to the east.
The Keep in the center of the Plaza de Armas has a quadrangular plan with few openings, and marking the floors connected internally by wooden and stone stairs.
A wide and continuous apron allows circulation and observation at the top of the tower crowned by pointed pentagonal battlements.
According to tradition, the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques (1112-85), was born here.
The font where he is said to have been baptized is found in the Romanesque chapel of the Church of São Miguel da Oliveira, in the western sector of the castle.
In the context of the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the domains of Vimaranes were granted at the end of the 9th century to a knight of supposed Castilian origin, named Diogo Fernandes, who settled there.
One of his daughters, named Mumadona Dias, married the powerful Count Hermenegildo Gonçalves, ruling the domains of Portucale from the middle of the 10th century until the third quarter of the 11th century.
The Portucalense Countess Mumadona became a widow around 928, and the assets were divided in July 950 among her six children.
The Portuguese Countess Mumadona Dias founded a monastery in the lower part of the village of Vimaranes, which later made a large donation of land, cattle, income, objects of worship and religious books (January 26, 959).
At the end of 950, it was already mentioned in a donation in which the Monastery of Guimarães was mentioned under its jurisdiction, and it was a county foundation from the second half of the 10th century.
Countess Mumadona herself declared in a parchment dated 968 that she had founded it to protect the Guimarães monastery from the attack of the “gentiles” (probably referring to the Normans).
The primitive castle nestled between the granite outcrops must have been built in wood and few traces remain of it.
At the end of the 11th century, during the rule of the counts, D. Henrique and D. Teresa, the castle underwent a profound renovation of which traces remain, especially on the North facade facing Campo de S. Mamede where the base of the walls presents a different phase with large stones.
These remains document an enclosure with a rounded plan, and it was in this castle that a battle took place between Afonso VII of Leão and Castile and the infant D. Afonso Henriques.
In the 12th century, during the time of our first monarch, it underwent a profound renovation from which it began to cover its current perimeter, but still without its eight towers.
The Gothic reforms, during the reign of D. Afonso III or D. Dinis (when the walls of Guimarães were being repaired) underwent a profound renovation that added eight turrets to its perimeter (four of which frame the two entrance doors) and its keep.
In the second half of the 13th century, with the Gothic reforms, the Guimarães castle acquired its current form.
The Castle played a decisive role in the Civil War of 1321-24, which pitted D. Dinis against Infante D. Afonso, heir to the throne that culminated in the Siege of Guimarães of 1322, and its importance was tested again in the Crisis of 1383-85 when it was surrounded by the Master of Avis.
In the 15th century it still maintained some relevance, but from the end of the 14th century it lost its military and strategic importance.
From the 15th century onwards, given advances in artillery, Guimarães Castle lost its defensive function.
The borders were very far apart and the weapons had evolved into pyroballistics (the “firearms”).
From the first years of the 16th century, Guimarães Castle experienced years of abandonment and decay, and without a military function it began to be used as a jail or prison.
Currently, the Castle is well preserved, is open to public visits, and has a plan in the approximate shape of a faceted shield.
Its walls, reinforced by four towers, are torn by doors and a wall, accessed by stairs in the towers, runs along the upper part of the walls crowned by pentagonal battlements with a pointed cutout.
On the west side, a wooden bridge connects the walls with the keep gate.
In the northern section of the walls, the ruins of the old fortress, probably from the 14th century, are visible, which is divided into two floors, highlighting its exterior windows and two chimneys.
The main gate to the west is defended by two clods, with two others defending the treachery gate to the east.
The Keep in the center of the Plaza de Armas has a quadrangular plan with few openings, and marking the floors connected internally by wooden and stone stairs.
A wide and continuous apron allows circulation and observation at the top of the tower crowned by pointed pentagonal battlements.
According to tradition, the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques (1112-85), was born here.
The font where he is said to have been baptized is found in the Romanesque chapel of the Church of São Miguel da Oliveira, in the western sector of the castle.
The Classification of Guimarães Castle
The Guimarães Castle classified as a National Monument in 1881 acquired an undeniable emblematic value, greatly promoted by the Estado Novo, responsible for a profound restoration intervention carried out since 1936.
In 2007, Guimarães Castle was informally elected as one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.
Currently, the Castle continues to be one of the most emblematic and well-known Portuguese medieval castles.
In 2007, Guimarães Castle was informally elected as one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.
Currently, the Castle continues to be one of the most emblematic and well-known Portuguese medieval castles.
