Marialva

Lost somewhere in time, Marialva emerges as a legend that endures. Full of history and stories, it is inevitable back in time and in almost every corner we can hear noise and feel the aroma of a distant past. Influenced by a wealth of legends and memories, we are surrounded by a magical atmosphere at the crossroads of damsels and knights, angels and demons!

HISTORY

Marialva is now one of 12 villages and parishes of Mêda, district of Guarda, which ruins and remains that have come remarkably well preserved to our days have indicated a great significance and historical importance. Although it is now almost abandoned, the village of Marialva experienced a period of free height in the twelfth and thirteenth century. The village is one of the most unique military structure ruins of medieval Portuguese keeping your face pretty much intact, either in strength or in the town that developed around it.

The dominant castle on top of a steep cliff, is the most important monument of the whole city, still dominating the landscape. It has the characteristics of a Romanesque castle with its donjon isolated in the center of a relatively small courtyard and main entrance at the west. With these data certainly will date the fortress of XI century when D. Sancho I promoted important part of the settlement of the region.

Romanesque castle, small, inaccessible, the shade of which rises a medieval town of great importance in its regional context. In 1286 D.Dinis established Marialva in one of the many shows created in his reign, which measures the beam, the cubit and span are yet entered on foot rights-of Port Angeles (facing southeast), the main entry into the walled town.

Within the city, the streets are irregular and the intra-wall has at present many empty spaces that were originally occupied by households.

In any case, and besides a handful of medieval ancestry all part of the main square, just below the Citadel of the Castle, where it remains the pillory and the Town Hall, symbols of ancestral autonomous district council that the town enjoyed.

In 1440 the mayor of the village became the county on the Coutinho family, thereby confirming the history of its progressive development. However the following centuries would dictate its decadence. Obtained a new charter of King Manuel and possibly subject to reform the initiative of Prince Ferdinand, brother of King John III, and Captain-General of Maringa, the old fortress was lost, however, scale and location was abandoned as the new demands of war passed next to a castle obsolete. In the middle of the XIX century the fort was still used during the war peninsula, but a century later was already hopelessly abandoned and the village reduced to eight neighbors.

In XX century Marialva was little more than a ruin in the 40th and proceeded to almost complete reconstruction of the donjon, and numerous sections of wall that threatened to disappear. Currently Marialva is one of the Historic Villages of Beira, has been the subject of restoration of much of the village and the consequent development of tourism.
 

Characteristics the most important

The ruined now well set was structured according to the military device, comprising two cores:
The Citadel located at the highest point of land and consists of the Watchtower, by defensive towers 3 and communicates with the village for three doors. The civil and urban core in which there are two distinct poles: the government which includes the Pelourinho and the former Town Hall, the Court and Jail, the religious comprising 2 churches and a cemetery

The broad wall castle walls, masonry granite understood the enclosure medieval urban plan and has oval, irregular organic, adapting to the configuration of the ground.

There are 4 gates in it:

• Gate Guardian Angel: In broken arch topped by vaulted ceiling broken communicating with the extra urban fabric,
• Gate of Monte Forca: arc broken by arched interior and the exterior, topped by a vaulted broken cradle communicating with the highest part;
• Gate Santa Maria:-arched topped by vaulted ceiling communicating with Devesa,
• Postigo:-arched topped by vaulted ceiling;

In the fourteenth century the wall was reinforced by three towers Plant Square:

Clock Tower: Made up of three floors opening up two doors and a window in the second. It is topped by battlements in the shape of a pentagon;
Tower Hill: now in ruins;
Valentine Tower or Tower of Appeal: where is part one cistern with a circular shape;

Citadel

Is comprised of the following structures

• About: walls reinforced masonry of granite and dating from the XVI century;
• • Watchtower: dominating the whole defensive structure and the village of trapezoidal plan dating back to Sec.XIII topped by battlements;
• Tanker: brick-lined mortar dates from the XVI century

The communication from the Citadel with the outer zone is carried out through two doors:

• Gate of the Citadel is in broken bow;
• Postigo;

Buildings and other structures

The urban area that comprises the interior walls have been the victim of time and neglect, but may still be following a path lined the sidewalk Portuguese, especially in the area of the Square. This space can also be observed sets of ruins and more recent buildings, among which are:

• Old Town Hall, Court and Prison: Dating back to probably Sec.XVII. The main facade appears the body of a bell and ladder access to 2. Floor. It also has a shield with the Arms of Portugal.
• Cistern;
• Pillory: Back to Séc.XVI and has features Manueline. At a slight angle is based on 4 steps octagonal;
• Misericórdia Church or Church of Our Lord: Possibly Sec.XVII in the Mannerist style of classical inspiration. Inside is a carved and gilded that probably dates from the XVIII Century
• Santiago Church: Built in 1585 has features Manueline and baroque. Chancel fully lined and unpainted carved sacristy attached. The main facade is composed of an arched portal.
• Cemetery: more recent structure, dating from sec.XIX;

THE NAME

Is unknown origin and can not say for sure, but gives the name of Marialva a tribute to the Virgin Mary (Maria Alba), established by Ferdinand I, as the Marian cult is a common practice in the centuries XI and XII.

LEGEND

It is said that the name originated in Marialva Legend of the Lady of crowbars, and that under which he lived throughout the region a beautiful and mysterious Moorish lady, named Maria Alva and never showed his feet. One day fell in love with a Christian knight. Legend has it that one of her women, moved by jealousy, spread flour on the floor where Maria Alva pass. The footprints were left crowbars and seeing so exposed his secret and judged by the people as the devil himself, the lady moura launched from the tower of the castle but not before cursing the village. Learn more detail the legend of Marialva.

THE POET

As a curiosity, is in Marialva one of the sandstone rock inscription in stone: “... this set of buildings in ruins, the mysterious link that connects this to the memory of those who lived here, who suddenly moves the traveler, to the throat and raises tears to my eyes.” (in the Tour of Portugal José Saramago).