Visit Mangualde on the Dão plateau
Mangualde lies on a plateau between the Dão and Mondego rivers, in a region whose dolmens recall its prehistoric settlers. Read on for the hill of Nossa Senhora do Castelo, Roman roads and a bridge, a monastery and a palace, and rojões with Dão wine and the pastel de feijão.
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Mangualde, in the Beira Alta, lies on a plateau between the Dão and Mondego rivers. Dolmens across the region recall its prehistoric settlers, and the hill of Nossa Senhora do Castelo was an early hillfort later reused by the Romans. A Roman road linking Emerita Augusta (Mérida) with Bracara Augusta (Braga) passed through the area; milestones found at Abrunhosa-a-Velha record repairs under the emperors Hadrian and Numerian, and another road crossed the Roman bridge at Alcafache. Under Muslim rule the fort on the hill became known as the Castle of Zurara, the origin of Azurara da Beira, the town's name until the 19th century. Ferdinand I of León and Castile took the castle in 1058, and in 1102 Count Henry and Countess Teresa granted a charter to the lands of Zurara, later confirmed by Afonso II in 1217 and by Manuel I in 1514. The town grew from two poles, Cabo da Vila and Rossio, which merged in the 20th century, and it became a city in 1986. Heritage includes the Anta de Cunha Baixa dolmen, the Monastery of Santa Maria de Maceira Dão, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Castelo and the Palace of the Counts of Anadia. Traditional dishes include rojões à moda de Mangualde with Dão wine, and the pastel de feijão, a convent sweet from Mangualde. The Bible translator João Ferreira de Almeida was from the municipality, and Pedro Álvares Cabral was alcaide-mor of the lands of Azurara da Beira.
The craft beer scene in Mangualde is still waiting to be discovered, so look to nearby places in the Dão-Lafões region, such as Viseu, when planning where to find a local brew.
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Frequently asked questions
Heritage in Mangualde includes the Anta de Cunha Baixa dolmen, the Monastery of Santa Maria de Maceira Dão, the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Castelo and the Palace of the Counts of Anadia. The hill of Nossa Senhora do Castelo was an early hillfort, later reused by the Romans.
Traditional dishes include rojões à moda de Mangualde, served with Dão wine, and the pastel de feijão, a convent sweet from Mangualde. The town lies on a plateau between the Dão and Mondego rivers, in the Beira Alta, and grew from two poles, Cabo da Vila and Rossio.
Yes, a Roman road linking Emerita Augusta (Mérida) with Bracara Augusta (Braga) passed through the area, and milestones found at Abrunhosa-a-Velha record repairs under the emperors Hadrian and Numerian. Another road crossed the Roman bridge at Alcafache, in the municipality of Mangualde.
Until the 19th century the town was called Azurara da Beira, a name that comes from the Castle of Zurara, as the hill fort was known under Muslim rule. Pedro Álvares Cabral was alcaide-mor of the lands of Azurara da Beira, and Mangualde became a city in 1986.