Paredes
The ancient Castle of Aguiar de Sousa stood surrounded by high hills that made it difficult to see and harder to access.
The Castle played a part in the defensive network of the territory, which was much coveted by Asturian kings in the 9th and 10th centuries.
Christian chronicles at the time of the Reconquest refer to the siege of the Castle in 995 by the Moorish general Almanzor during his incursions into Santiago de Compostela.
The Castle was the seat of a “Terra” in the administrative reorganization process of the territory which occurred throughout the 11th century and an important "Julgado" in the 13th century.
The Tower of the Castle of Aguiar de Sousa is square in structure and off-centre in relation to the traces of the wall’s outline.
The Tower probably was not there in the 12th century, though it would have been very common in the Medieval Age to have a watchtower inside the upper fortified fencing.
The Castle of Aguiar de Sousa would have been abandoned by the end of the 13th century.
The implementation of the Route of the Romanesque project has led to vast renovation and preservation of the monument.
Type: Tower
Classification: Public Interest Building - 2012
Route: Sousa Valley
10th century - Probable construction of the Castle;
995 - Conquered by Almançor;
1220 - In the "Inquirições" [administrative enquiries] this territory is dominated by the Sousas and is designated by “Termo” [territory] of Ferreira and “Termo” [territory] of Aguiar, locating the administrative centre in the Castle of Aguiar de Sousa;
1258 - The Julgado of Aguiar de Sousa [jurisdiction of Aguiar de Sousa] is created;
1411- Foral charter by King D. João I;
1513 (25th November) - King D. Manual grants the Foral Charter to "Aguyar de Sousa";
1758 - Aguiar de Sousa belonged to the District of Penafiel;
1837 - Aguiar de Sousa is terminated as county and integrated in Paredes;
1999 - The owner was the widow of Mr. Amável Costa;
2004 - The Tower of the Castle of Aguiar de Sousa is included in the Route of the Romanesque of Vale do Sousa;
2008 - Works of general preservation and enhancement of the property in the scope of the Route of the Romanesque of Vale do Sousa;
2011-2013 - Cleaning work of the weed vegetation; review of lighting; rehabilitation of the access to the Tower; archaeological works in the surrounding area of the Tower, under the scope of the Route of the Romanesque.
2012 - The Tower of the Castle of Aguiar de Sousa is classified as Public Interest Monument.
Free
Monument not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.
+351 255 810 706
+351 918 116 488
visitasrr@valsousa.pt
How to get here:
41.123896, -8.437918
Travessa do Castelo, Aguiar de Sousa, Paredes, Porto
Northern Portugal: A28/A3/A7/A24/A11/A4 » A41 CREP » Aguiar de Sousa » Rota do Românico/Torre de Aguiar de Sousa.
Porto: A43 (Gondomar) » A41 CREP » Aguiar de Sousa » Rota do Românico/Torre de Aguiar de Sousa.
Central/Southern Portugal: A1/A29 » A41 CREP » Aguiar de Sousa » Rota do Românico/Torre de Aguiar de Sousa.
Paredes: A4 (Porto) » A41 CREP » Aguiar de Sousa » Rota do Românico/Torre de Aguiar de Sousa.