Vilar Tower

The Vilar Tower, locally known as Torre de Vilar, stands in the village of Vilar do Torno e Alentém in the Tâmega e Sousa region in Portugal.

The tower was probably built between the second half of the 13th century and the early 14th century. In 1258, the area belonged to a local lord, Gil Martins of the Ribavizela family, so it’s possible he or his descendants built it. The first mention of the tower dates back to the 15th century. I was unable to find any additional historical details about it. If you have more information, please let me know.

The Vilar Tower served as a fortified noble residence rather than purely a military fortress. It was a visible symbol of the seigneurial power and control over the fertile valley of the Vale do Sousa.

The 14-meter-high tower has a rectangular layout and originally would have had battlements on the top floor when it was built. It stands on a granite outcrop that crowns a small hill.

Today, the Vilar Tower is located in a municipal park. Several sources indicate that it should be open to visitors, but it wasn't when I visited. It seemed to have been closed for quite some time already. Too bad, I would have loved to see the interior of this sturdy tower.

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