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| 0336 Historic Centre of Guimarães - Guimarães Castle |
Posted on 19.09.2012, 10.07.2015
In one of the old towers of Guimarães, city often referred to as Cidade Berço (The Cradle City), it is written Aqui nasceu Portugal (Portugal was born here). Nothing more true, because here has established his capital Vimara Peres (820-873), first Count of Portugal, who reconquered from the Moors the area from the Minho River to the Douro River, but especially because its near took place the Battle of São Mamede (24 June 1128), in which Afonso Henriques defeated his mother and her lover, establishing himself as sole leader. After 11 years, the same ruler defeated the Almoravid Moors in Battle of Ourique, and proclaimed himself king of Portugal, to confirm the Portuguese independence from the Kingdom of León.
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| 1729 Historic Centre of Guimarães - Palace of the Dukes of Braganza |
Although so closely linked to the birth of independent Portugal, Guimarães hadn't the chance to be its capital, because in 1131, so with 8 years before proclaimed himself king, Afonso Henriques moved the capital to Coimbra. In 950 or 951, Mumadona Dias, Countess of Portugal, founded, on her property in Vimaranes (as it was called then Guimarães) a monastery under São Mamede's invocation. It originated the fixation of people in the area known as vila baixa (downtown). She initiated also the construction of the Guimarães Castle on the hill area which became known as vila alta (uptown), to defend the settlement from Moors and Norman raids. The castle became the official royal residence from 1139 until circa 1200.
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