Castle of Penela

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National monument by decree of 1910, the Castle of Penela is a medieval fortress with origins in the 11th century, founded by D. Sesnando Davides.

D. Sesnando became governor of the territories south of the Douro river after taking Coimbra, in 1064, by order of D. Fernando I de Leon, great-grandfather of D. Afonso Henriques.

Included in the defensive line of Mondego, its walls reach 19 meters in height, having undergone several adaptations, expansions and remodeling. The oldest part of the fortress, the small Sesnandino castle, later assumed the role of manor tower.

On its walls, with magnificent views over Serra da Lousã, we can see small openings for surveillance and defence, to launch arrows and later, to fire weapons.

The name “Penela” derives from the word “peñela”, which means small rocky hill, in clear reference to the rock where it is located.

It presents a semi-triangular structure with three access doors: the Village Door, the Betrayal Door and the Breach of the Missing, referring to the two towers that flanked this entrance, which were demolished during the earthquake from 1755.