TOWN WALLS

The existing outer walls are the realisation of extension work initiated by King Afonso III and King Dinis between 1248 and 1325 AD. Later extensions and alterations saw the introduction of stronger walls and defensive towers. There are three main entrances though the ramparts; the Portas d'el Rei, Portas do Prado and Porta do Carvalho, plus two secondary gates; Porta da Traição and Olhinho do Sol. The Portas d'El Rei and Portas do Prado gates are flanked by two mighty towers. Despite some demolition that took place in the 19th and 20th centuries most of the perimeter walls have been well preserved. In 1921 the defensive walls were classified as a National Monument.

SÃO PEDRO CHURCH

Much of what you see at this church is a result of reconstruction work that occurred in the 18th century and is baroque in style. The original construction, however, dates from 1320 and served as the seat of the mediaeval parish. In 1621, the Governor of Arms of the province of Beira, D. Álvaro de Abranches, commissioned the construction of the tomb of Bandarra (1500-45). The church's bell tower is attached to the front right corner of the building. The church is longitudinal in shape and possesses a single nave and chancel. Within its somewhat sober interior, there is a wood-carved altarpieces and a painted vaulted ceiling. Both are well worth investigating.
39º 36' 12.6" N | 08º 25' 08.5" W

SAPATEIRO BANDARRA STATUE

In the Praça do Municipio square in front of the town hall is a statue of Gonçalo Anes Bandarra, a famous poet, prophet, shoemaker and the Nostradamus of his time. He was born in 1500 in Trancoso. He dedicated his life to astrology and publicising messianic prophecies famous around 1531. He had an in-depth knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures, which triggered suspicion by the Portuguese Inquisition. As an adult, he lived in Lisbon at the invitation of the Lisbon new-Christian mystic and theologian community.

His prose took the form of four-line rhyming poems or "trovas" that, among other things, foretold the end and restoration of the Portuguese Kingdom. His works were banned and Bandarra was subsequently condemned to death, a sentence commuted, after a popular protest, to a punishment of walking barefoot around town carrying a giant candle until it burned to the wick. His fateful prediction came to pass in 1578 after the death of King Sebastião, leaving no heir, and Portugal lost independence to Spain.
40° 46' 39.8" N | 07° 20' 00.7" W

Trancoso's castle has occupied the high ground northeast of town since the 10th century and was the focus of many disputes between Christian and Muslim armies during the Reconquista, changing hands many times. In 1139 it was finally conquered by Afonso Henriques, who also repelled subsequent Muslim attacks. Surprisingly even though all the skirmishes and rebuilding of the castle since then, much of the original Arabesque features remain, predominantly in the disproportionately broad keep. The structure was expanded during the reign of Dom Dinis, adding a rectangular perimeter wall with five turrets. Within the courtyard, there's a cistern, a well and the ruins of an old 16th-century chapel. The castle was classified as a National Monument in 1921.

Monday: CLOSED,Tuesday – Friday: 10h00 - 12h30/14h00 - 17h30, Weekends: 10h00 - 12h30/14h00 - 16h30
Rua do Castelo, 6420 Trancoso, Portugal. | 40° 46' 43.6" N | 07° 20' 56.9" W
+351 271 811 147 | turismo@cm-trancoso.pt

During the middle ages, there existed in Trancoso a significant and thriving Jewish community who settled here after D. Pedro I granted Trancoso a Jewish quarter in 1364. In the 15th Century, there were about 700 Jews in Trancoso, which precipitated D. João II, in 1481, to grant authorisation to enlarge the synagogue. The Jewish heritage left behind in Trancoso can be found in local surnames such as Levi, Franco, Barzelai, Justo, and Barroca, and also in the houses where they dwelt. Each Jewish home has two doorways‚ a wide one for trade and a narrow door (leading to the first floor), that served as a family entrance.

The Casa do Gato Negro (in Largo Luís de Albuquerque), is the former rabbi's residence and is a prime example. Above the doorways, some have crosses hastily inscribed by the Inquisition to indicate the family's conversion to Christianity. Others retain their original Hebrew engravings.

In October 2012 the Town Council and the Ambassador of Israel, Ehud Gol, inaugurated the Jewish Culture Centre Isaac Cardoso, situated in the Jewish Quarter which incorporates the synagogue, the first of its kind in Portugal in more than 500 years. Its construction is the completed vision of Portuguese architects Gonçalo Byrne and José Laranjeira.