It was built during the reign of Afonso III (13th century), at a time when Portuguese independence was being established. It is said that King Dinis, on his first day in the area, named the place as beautiful and cheerful as it was, although the name may come from the Latin "limitosum," meaning limit. In the 17th century, it regained great importance during the Restoration War between Portugal and Castile. It has been fully Portuguese since 1663.
It is also considered one of the most important Portuguese military monuments due to the architectural technical innovations used during its construction. It features Romanesque and Gothic features, which is why it was declared a "National Monument" in 1910 and rebuilt in the 1940s. Furthermore, it preserves part of its wall, and the interior can be visited, where there is a chapel, an oven, and a 15-meter tower of homage. It also houses a museum with permanent exhibitions on the evolution and human occupation of the territory.
Outside, in addition to the beautiful views of the dam of the same name, the Limia valley and the Xurés and Peneda mountains in the background, you can see in the village itself a fantastic set of 64 stone granaries (one of the largest concentrations of style in the world). Some are up to 200 years old, and have been an inseparable part of popular culture, as well as a subsistence diet so recognizable on both sides of the border.
By the way, do you know where the name Lindoso comes from? One possible explanation is related to the word "limitosum," which means "limit" in Latin, as it's a border region.
Translated by Google •
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