Castle of Vinhais

The Castle of Vinhais stands in the municipality of Vinhais, Portugal, near the historic border with the Kingdom of Castile. Its origins trace back to a Galician settlement, which during the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula evolved into a fortified Galician-Roman town, or oppidum.

During the Middle Ages, the village of Vinhais was part of royal efforts to organize and centralize the Trás-os-Montes region by creating new towns. Early attempts to establish municipal status happened under King Sancho II in the mid-13th century, continuing with King Afonso III, who granted a formal charter in 1253. Following this, the castle’s walls and towers, including its characteristic keep integrated within the enclosure, were likely finished in the late 1200s during King Dinis’s rule.

The strategic position of Vinhais meant the castle was drawn into conflict between Portugal and Castile. Between 1369 and 1371, it was occupied by Castilian forces under King Ferdinand’s reign. During the 1383–1385 crisis, when Portugal faced a dynastic dispute, the local governor initially supported the claim of Beatriz but later pledged allegiance to King John I. However, in 1397 a rebellion led by João Afonso Pimentel temporarily restored Castilian control until 1403, when Portuguese authority was regained.

King Afonso V initiated renovations of the castle during his reign in the mid-15th century. By the early 1500s under King Manuel I, the castle was documented by Duarte de Armas in his “Book of Fortresses,” which noted its deteriorated state. Despite some additions in the 16th century, including a barbican and extra towers, parts of the walls were demolished as the town expanded.

The castle played a defensive role during the Portuguese Restoration War (1640–1668), resisting a notable Spanish assault in 1659 involving 1,700 soldiers. Minor repairs took place in the following centuries, but by the 20th century the fortress remained mostly in ruins. Designated a National Monument in 1947, the site survived a threatened demolition in the early 1960s thanks to the community’s efforts, leading to later conservation work.