Silva Tower

The Silva Tower, locally known as Torre da Silva, stands near the hamlet of São Julião in the Alto Minho region in Portugal.

The tower is believed to have been built in the 14th century, most likely commissioned by a branch of the Silva family, one of the oldest noble lineages in Portugal, originating in Galicia. It was restored during the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 17th century, after the creation and assignment of the county by King Philip IV of Spain in 1643, it belonged to the Counts of Pliègue.

The tower, situated at the base of a slope overlooking the Ribeira das Ínsuas valley, originally served as the center of a rural estate, controlling agricultural lands and offering both protection and prestige to its owners.

It has a square layout and three floors. The current front façade is surmounted by the coat of arms of the Counts of Pliègue, with the Silva family escutcheon in the center.

Today, the Silva Tower is private property and can thus not be visited. A simple, rural tower.

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