Idanha-a-Velha

Idanha-a-Velha
Now a small and humble village, although classified as a National Monument, Idanha-a-Velha (Idanha-the-Old) is fascinating in archaeological terms due to its remarkable landmarks and ruins and to the effort made to enhance and preserve them without prejudice to the local population´s way of life.

The village stands over an ancient Roman town, founded in the 1st century (the oldest document found dates from 16 A.C.) and included in the Civitas Igaeditanorum territory, and later nominated a township.

During the Visigothic period, the city prospered under the name of Egitânea: it became a diocesan seat in 599 and had even a centre to coin gold.

The Cathedral, the Baptistry and the so-called Bishop´s Palace date from this period of development.

It came to an end with the conquest of the city by the Arab troops, which remained there until the arrival of Afonso III, king of Leon.

When Portugal was founded, Idanha already belonged to the Portucale Earldom, and later the first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques, gave it to the Templars.

Its first charter dates from 1229.

King Dinis included the town among the properties given to the Order of Christ, in 1319, and tried to repopulate it once again.

A new attempt was made in 1510, when king Manuel gave it a new charter; the Pillory dates from this period.

The once properous Egitânea was condemned to loose its former glory: by 1762, it was a small village integrated in the county of Castelo Branco; in 1811, it was annexed to Idanha-a-Nova (Idanha-the-New); ten years later, it became the seat of a small county, soon to be extinct in 1836.

Nowadays, with a few dozens of inhabitants, it is one of Portugal´s most valuable archaeological sites.