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Places to See Centro de Portugal Sortelha
Places to See Centro de Portugal Sortelha | Sortelha |
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Crowned
by a castle standing on a formidable rocky outcrop, Sortelha preserves
its medieval features in the architecture of its rustic granite houses. Sortelha used to be part of the important defensive line of frontier castles, mostly erected or rebuilt on ‘castro’ sites of the ancient Iberian civilisations. Its name is derived from the configuration of the land in rugged crags encircling the village in the shape of a ring (sortija, in Spanish). The castle entrance is through a Gothic doorway, above which there is a balcony (Varanda de Pilatos) with apertures through which the medieval guards would hurl all kinds of missiles, such as boiling oil, at their attackers. Notice also the fine pillory topped by the armillary sphere, the symbol of D. Manuel I, and the building that used to be the Council Hall, from the same period. In another doorpost, facing west, the two slits in the stone represent metric measures (the larger one is a vara and the smaller one a côvado), used by medieval tradesmen for their calculations. The charm of this village lies in its medieval atmosphere. All the houses, made of granite and mostly one-storey, are built on rock and blend into the topography of the terrain.  |
Contact Us:
00 351 913 591 282
or
00 351 282 417 463
(office hours)
00 351 913 591 282
or
00 351 282 417 463
(office hours)
| Capital (and largest city) |
Lisbon 38°46′N, 9°11′W |
|
| Official languages | Portuguese | |
|---|---|---|
| Recognised regional languages | Mirandese | |
| Demonym | Portuguese | |
| Government | Parliamentary republic | |
| - | President | Aníbal Cavaco Silva |
| - | Prime Minister | José Sócrates |
| Formation | June 24, 1128 | |
| - | Founding of the First County of Portugal | 868 |
| - | Battle of São Mamede | June 24, 1128 |
| - | Kingdom | 25 July 1139 |
| - | Recognized | 5 October 1143 |
| - | Republic | 5 October 1910 |
| - | Carnation Revolution | 25 April 1974 |
| EU accession | 1 January 1986 | |
| Area | ||
| - | Total | 92,345 km² (110th) 35,580 sq mi |
| - | Water (%) | 0.5 |
| Population | ||
| - | July 2007 estimate | 10,848,692 (75th) |
| - | 2001 census | 10,148,259 |
| - | Density | 114/km² (87th) 295/sq mi |
| GDP (PPP) | 2006 estimate | |
| - | Total | $229.881 billion (40th) |
| - | Per capita | $23,464 (2007) (34th) |
| HDI (2005) | ▼ 0.897 (high) (29th) | |
| Currency | Euro (€) (EUR) | |
| Time zone | WET | |
| - | Summer (DST) | WEST (UTC0) |
| Internet TLD | .pt | |
| Calling code | +351 | |