# Castle of Vila Flor

- **Country:** Portugal
- **Coordinates:** 41.306121, -7.151752
- **Location Text:** (Vila Flor e Nabo, Vila Flor)

The Castle of Vila Flor is a medieval fortress situated in the civil parish of Vila Flor e Nabo, within the municipality of Vila Flor in the Bragança District of Portugal. While the exact year of its initial construction is not explicitly recorded, archaeological and anecdotal evidence suggests the settlement was established during the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eleventh century. The site gained formal recognition when King Dinis granted it a Foral Charter in 1286 and elevated its status to a town in 1295. Architecturally, the castle was originally protected by a ring of walls featuring five gates, though today only the South Gate, known as the Arch of D. Dinis, remains standing. This surviving structure is a pointed arch measuring 3.5 meters wide by 4 meters high, flanked by two semicircular plant towers.

Historically, the town played a significant role as a haven for Jewish families expelled from other parts of Europe, fostering a period of growth in agriculture, trade, and the manufacturing of leather and jewelry. However, this prosperity declined sharply after King Manuel issued a new, anti-Semitic charter in 1512, which drove away much of the population. Over subsequent centuries, the castle fell into neglect and slowly eroded due to natural forces, leaving the structure mostly in ruins. Despite its dilapidated condition, the site retains historical importance and was officially decreed a property of public interest by the Portuguese government on October 20, 1955. Today, it stands as a classified monument representing the region's complex medieval past and architectural heritage.

![Photo of Castle of Vila Flor](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Arco%20do%20Castelo%20de%20Vila%20Flor%20-%20Portugal%20%F0%9F%87%B5%F0%9F%87%B9%20%2854497011669%29.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_of_Vila_Flor (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)