How many people can boast of sharing space with and putting themselves in the shoes of legends centuries before you were born? The answer here is historians, archaeologists, curators, and the thousands of visitors that flock to the historical sites in the culturally rich country of Portugal. Almost every castle worth its grain has its share of mysterious stories and legends. One such example would be the Castle of Guimarães. In the Guimarães town, this primary medieval castle was built in the 10th century and was constructed under the orders of the Countess of Galicia, Mumadona, to defend the monastery from constant attacks by the Moors and Vikings.
When Count Henry took over the administration of the province, he ordered the castle to be built into a stronger and larger structure. This marks the beginning of the construction of the castle that we see today. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, various kings made numerous improvements to the castle by rebuilding or restoring it. Gradually, the castle lost its importance and without any upkeep, its condition started deteriorating. This went on till the 20th century when the castle was declared a National Monument. Post that, there have been restorations made to conserve the culture and history of the Castle of Guimarães.
There are no documents to support this fact, but it is believed that Count Henry resided at this castle. And this is where his son Afonso Henriques was born, who further went on to become the first king of Portugal! Imagine being present at the same location as the first royal head of the country.
It is 366 km away from the city centre and the best way is to board a train to Guimarães. It is a 10 min walk from Guimarães Train Station. The ticket will cost you €25.00 - €45.00
You can board, Arriva 'Rápida' bus service which runs between Porto and Guimarães. It will cost you €2.50.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Monday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Waiting Time
Entrance Fee
Time you can spend
Weather
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