Hello, and welcome to my blog :)
Today, I bring a bit of Portugal's history based on a route in the Northern region.
The Route of the Romanesque is a cultural itinerary that takes us to discover a set of buildings from the Romanesque architectural heritage in the Sousa Valley area. This route is a living testament to the historical, religious, and artistic legacy of the medieval period.
It encompasses over fifty monuments, including monasteries, bridges, churches, towers, chapels, and memorials. This route provides a wonderful journey through centuries of history. All the monuments showcase architectural elements such as perfect arches, intricately carved columns, and details that demonstrate the devotion of that era.
These sites bear witness to great spirituality and culture during the Middle Ages.
These Romanesque monuments tell us the story of monastery construction, the role of religion in daily life, artistic influences, and construction techniques during that period.
Throughout the Route of the Romanesque, there are many places laden with symbolism, such as the Monastery of São Pedro de Cête, the Church of São Tiago de Paços de Sousa, the Monastery of Santa Maria de Pombeiro, among many others. Each of them possesses its charm, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the history of each place and yearn to learn more.
We visited the Monastery of São Pedro de Cete. Founded in the 10th century, its construction is attributed to the nobleman D. Gonçalo Oveques.
We parked the car on a quiet street and walked. Right there next to it, a plot with ruins, and honestly, I couldn't tell you what they belonged to, but what immediately caught my attention was a very small figurine placed in the corner of the entrance door (I suppose these are ruins of a house and that this frame was from the door 😊).
We walked down, and a stone cross marked the spot, and further ahead, some granaries already in a degraded state, yet still full of drying spikes. We looked around and saw the facade of a seemingly abandoned house, and as usual, we took pictures until we noticed someone inside looking at us, so we thought it best to move on.
However, we noticed that the land of this house seemed to extend to the Monastery, as if one thing was interconnected with the other. But since the walls are high, it was not possible to confirm.
We then headed to the Monastery, which appears to be extremely well-maintained, at least on the outside. But it was a great surprise to hear that it could only be visited by prior appointment and payment of a fee.
At the side entrance, we came across aligned tombs (lately it seems to be something that follows us). Later, upon researching, we realized that they are usually arranged in the cloister. One wouldn't imagine what lies inside from the outside. The doors continue to be made of wood with iron latches but maintaining the old characteristics. When looking up, we see gargoyles protruding from the wall, as well as various carved images on the walls of the Monastery.
Besides this historical aspect, the Route of the Romanesque allows those who travel it to appreciate the beauty of the Sousa Valley region with its landscapes and rivers that complement the historical aspect.
Be happy!
See you around.
Wishing you much peace and health
Hiya, @ybanezkim26 here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Travel Digest #2114.
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This historical place looks very exotic, the buildings are also very beautiful
I'm glad you enjoyed the glimpse of this historical place, the exotic charm and beautiful architecture truly make it a special place.
WOW, what a great place. I will also put this place on my vacation list.
Fantastic choice, adding this place to your vacation list is sure to bring unforgettable experiences :) Wishing you an amazing time when you get to visit