Torres Vedras Things to Do

Near Torres Vedras I've seen dozens of windmills. The region has numerous small hills and it seems all these small hills have a windmill on top.
The particular windmill on the picture is located 1Km from Torres Vedras near the entrance to the A8 highway and its not difficult to find it.

This fortress located on top of the highest hill near Torres Vedras was an important fortification, along with the medieval Castle, for the so called Lines of Torres Vedras.
Its location was priviliged because it could defend the main road from Coimbra to Lisbon.
During those war times the fortress had 2200 soldiers, 39 artillery cannons and a telegraphic post.

This obelisk with 20 meters height is the contribution of the city of Torres Vedras for the campaigns of the portuguese and british armies during the Peninsular Wars that occured from 1808 to 1814, and were decisive for the broke down of the french domination of continental Europe

Graça Monastery houses the Municipal Museum Leonel Trindade which consists of two rooms.
One of the rooms is dedicated to the Lines of Torres Vedras. These Lines were constructed to defend Lisbon from the French Army, and formed an extensive covering zone, protected by two strong lines of advanced defence to make the capital unreachable, except by sea, which was defended by the british Royal Navy.
The fortifications were built according to the Duke of Wellington's plans and incredibly, the whole plan was completed within the short period of only one year.
This was the most efficient system of camp fortifications ever known in millitary history, comprising 152 polygon shape forts, defended by trenches and armed with cannons.

In the museum its possible to admire several objects, from documents to small weaponry and cannon bullets.

On the other room a numerous collection of artifacts, many of them found in the region, are organized in a way that can give the visitor a brief idea of the evolution of Man from pre-historic times til Roman times.

Dating back from the 16th century this baroque church houses the tomb of São Gonçalo.
Inside and outside the church, as well in the annexed convent we can find beautiful 18th century portuguese painted tiles.

The church entrance is a manuelin portal with renaissance-influenced decoration. On top its visible the coat-of-arms of King D. João III and D. Catarina of Austria.
The wooden door is dated from 1712.

This church is located inside the walls of the medieval Castle and is considered a national monument. The church has an ancient origin because, in its façade, the remains of a romanic portal are visible.
Inside just a note to a little 15th century sculpture of Saint Mary.

The primitive fortification of Torres Vedras is still of unknown origin, but the studies indicate that the romans were probably the first ones to settle on this place. Nevertheless, the Moors rebuilt and enlarged the fortification and, after the reconquest by King Afonso Henriques, the castle took is actual shape. King D. Manuel I proceeded to its reedification in 1516, which the ogival entrance is the testimony.
The castle suffered great damage during the napoleonic invasions in the beginning of the 19th century.

Not far from the city lies these remains of a Bronze Age settlement. The place looked somehow abandoned and neglected. There was a house near the settlement whose condition looked like the same...