monuments of portugal

Portugal is a country with a long History. In the country had passed many civilizations that had left its mark in the territory. They built castles, palaces, towns and cities. Before this the prehistoric Man already molded the Portuguese landscape.

Portugal as a mixture of civilizations

The first known people that lived in Portugal were the Oestriminis, that stretched their territory from Galicia (Northwestern Spain) to the Algarve. They are today seen as the first native people. The first documented invasion occurred long before the birth of Christ, when the Ophis with other tribes entered the Iberian Peninsula and instaled in the best lands of the Oestreminis, near the Douro and Tagus Rivers. Later the territory has been conquered or settled by numerous civilizations. Celts, Greeks, Iberians and Lusitanians to name some. The Phoenicians also settled in that part of the peninsula and had great influence on the Lusitanians, especially on their religion, culture and language. The Lusitanians are seen as the proto-Portuguese. Later came the Romans, who were of great importance. Many of their constructions and cities are still found, nowadays in ruins because of the various invasions of other civilizations. After the Romans, the Visigoths and the Suevi came along with other Barbarian peoples from Germany and settled in the territory. Later came the Moorish people, from North Africa who invaded the entire Peninsula, except for a stretch of mountains in Asturias (northern Spain) from where the reconquest (reconquista) of the Iberian Peninsula started. These civilizations built in Portugal many Monuments. Portugal emerged as one of various nations after the christian reconquista. It took its autonomy from the Kingdom of Leon in 1128 and emerged as a full independent kingdom, officially recognized in 1143. From then on Monuments have been built in honour of its kings, nobles, church and its various battles for independence and the maintenance of it. The country continued to be influenced by other civilizations, one of which was the Viking that invaded, destroied and stole artifacts from many monuments. The Castilian (later the Spanish) and the French where also responsible for dammage in historical buildings after their invasions of Portugal. See also: History of Portugal — Timeline of Portuguese history - List of Portuguese monarchs — Kings of Portugal family tree — Lusitania — Roman Empire

National Monuments

Although in Portugal there are numerous monuments from various ages some of them have a special value due to its historical, architectonic, artistic and cultural importance. These monuments are classified and protected by the Instituto Portugus do Patrimnio Arquitectnico (Portuguese institute for architectural heritage) that declares monuments as Monumento Nacional (National Monument). They are protected and preserved by this institute.