Tourism

Miradouro da Sé Catedral

Located next to the Cathedral of Miranda do Douro, we discover a magnificent landscape whose gaze will be drawn to the so-called "penedo amarelo" (yellow rock), almost falling into the Douro river. Anyone who sees it will say that it was carved by human hands, a huge "2" that holds the mysteries of the surroundings.   Altitude: 651MNature: Douro Internacional Natural ParkLocation: Located next to the Cathedral of Miranda do Douro, on the left side, by the walls.

Homenagem aos Mirandeses

The primary objective of a sculpture by António Nobre, to be placed in D. João III square, the "visiting room" of the city of Miranda do Douro, is to pay homage to the rural people of the Terra de Miranda region. The investment is around 60 thousand euros, and it’s the responsibility of the local municipality. The ensemble is composed of two bronze figures in a pose of dialogue. One of the pieces represents a typical rural Mirandese woman, wearing the traditional attire used in the region. The sculptor, a native of Sendim, didn’t spare details, as is the case with the shawl or the headscarf tied on the head and the traditional "mandil" on the shoulders. The Mirandese figure also carries saddlebags, a typical element for those who wanted to buy or sell in the popular markets of the Mirandese city. The second figure represents the city man wrapped in his traditional ’cape of honor’. Preserving clothing According to António Nobre, this ensemble can offer several interpretations from various sectors of local ethnography, such as the characters’ clothing. On the other hand, the Mirandese man was a shepherd, an ox driver, or a farmer, and for this reason, he needed to travel to fairs to acquire what he needed for daily life. On the other hand, he would meet with friends (hence the figures are in a pose of dialogue) or pay taxes at the county seat. Furthermore, the goal is to perpetuate a disappearing tradition, highlighting the typical Mirandese attire and other elements, such as the traditional "bardeiros," brooms made of corn widely used in the region’s kitchens. The two pieces are three times larger than a normal citizen and have already been cast in bronze, currently in the assembly phase. The figures will spend about two weeks in the rain so that the bronze’s tone becomes as refined as possible, while the inauguration of the ensemble is scheduled for February.

Castelo de Miranda do Douro

The castle of Miranda do Douro is believed to have started being built in 1294, during the reign of King D. Dinis, at the time of the new village’s foundation (1286), in the northwestern corner of the village. It was associated with a rectangular urban wall intended to protect the settlement. Access to the village was through its two gates, flanked by two square towers. The main gate was connected to one of the towers and was elbow-shaped, a feature of 14th-century military architecture. One of the particularities of the medieval village was the existence of an armor-plated wall (represented by Duarte d’Armas in the early 16th century) that defended the inhabitants’ access to the river. In subsequent centuries, it underwent several transformations, mainly to adapt it to artillery warfare, but in 1762, a violent explosion in the gunpowder magazine disfigured fundamental parts of the Gothic architecture. The fortress resisted the Castilian invasions during the wars of D. Fernando I’s time. The construction of the keep dates back to the time of João I, as a distinction to the village of Miranda, for its people having spoken up in his favor when he was still the Master of Avis. In 1641, D. João IV ordered the refortification of the castle and the walls on the eastern side. In May 1762, at a time when the fortress was trying to resist the Spanish troops, the gunpowder magazine exploded, destroying parts of the wall that were never reconstructed.