Linhares da Beira Castle

Linhares da Beira Castle, locally known as Castelo de Linhares da Beira, lies in the village of the same name in the Beiras e Serra da Estrela region in Portugal.

The castle crowns a granite ridge high above the Mondego valley, guarding the approaches between Celorico da Beira and the Serra da Estrela. The first fortifications here were probably raised during the reign of King Afonso Henriques (Afonso I, 1139–1185) to secure the frontier with León. Archaeological traces and masonry techniques confirm an early 12th-century foundation, though the castle we see today largely dates from the 13th and 14th centuries.

Built entirely of granite, Linhares da Beira Castle occupies a long, narrow outcrop that naturally divides into two enclosures: the lower ward (housing domestic buildings and cisterns) and the upper ward with the two main towers. The Keep Tower (Torre de Menagem), built under King Denis (1279–1325), dominates the south end, while the Watch Tower (Torre de Vigia) stands to the north. The walls enclose an area of about 1,200 m².

Linhares da Beira remained an active frontier post throughout the Middle Ages. Together with the castles of Guarda, Celorico da Beira, Trancoso, Marialva, and Longroiva, it was part of a chain of fortified mountain towns securing the Beira frontier. Each of these strongholds crowned a high granite ridge, commanding vast views over the surrounding valleys.

During the wars with Castile, the garrison of Linhares served under the royal governor of Guarda. The castle declared loyalty to King John I, during the 1383–1385 Portuguese Interregnum, strengthening the kingdom’s position in Beira. Later, under King Manuel I, Linhares was granted a new charter in 1510, marking its transition from a military outpost to a small administrative center.

Today, Linhares da Beira Castle is well-preserved and freely accessible. The entrances to both the Keep Tower and the Watch Tower were closed when I visited, sadly enough. I don't know if they are accessible at other times. A mighty castle.

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