Marvão Things to Do

Marvão is a very small city, inside walls, with a very well preserved image that justified the privilege of being considered UNESCO heritage. The location, upon very steep hills, allowed it a very important role in Portuguese history, after being conquered by our first king. Disputed and temporarily occupied by Spanish and French, it was also relevant in Portuguese civil war in the 19Th century.

Worth visiting are the 15th century mother church and the Municipal Museum, open in the former church of Santa Maria and displaying local ethnological and cultural traditions and archaeological findings.

Marvão lies in the area of the Natural Park of Serra de São Mamede, with a wide range of flora and fauna due to its geological diversity and varying climate. It is the home of one of the largest colonies of bats in Europe, but also of deer, boars, Bonnelli eagles, griffon vultures, etc.

Rua do Espirito Santo, with the former governor´s house exhibiting beautiful iron-wrought balconies from the 17th century, leads to the castle, mostly built by King Dinis in 1299 and dominating the village.

Marvao Castle was built by King Dinis in about 1299, the castle dominates the village. Its walls enclose two cisterns and a keep and offer spectacular views south and west towards the Serra de Sao Mamede and eastward to the Spanish frontier.

The Santa Maria church now is a museum.
You pay 1 euro if you want to visit it.
Worth a visit, it displays local ethnological and cultural traditions and archaeological finding. It is near the Tourist Office.

The convent is situated outside the walls of the castle on the slope as you approach Marvão.

The convent was built in 1448, it belonged to the Franciscan order and it was associated with the appearance of Virgin Mary. The convent was built in Gothic style and there is a manueline "cruzeiro" (stone construction) of in front of it.

Once you enter the village you find yourself on the former Town Hall's square. This square has a pillory. Pillories are somewhat common in ancient Portuguese villages and this one is no exception. They represent the law/ empowerment of the village and its rulers.

Marvão's pillory is classified as of public interest since 1933. It was refurbished in 1940 and few was left from its original pieces and stonework.