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It is located at the top of the Crasto hill, which is known as Santiago, and where legend has it that a chapel dedicated to this saint once stood. Built approximately 4,500 years ago, it is the oldest archaeological site in the parish of Figueiró da Granja. It is a typical pre-Roman castrum of the northwestern Iberian Peninsula, where it was very common for indigenous populations to settle around a fortified structure—always built on high ground offering natural defensive features and a commanding view of the surrounding area, and always near a watercourse with access to farmland and/or hunting grounds.
Large granite boulders were used to construct two fortified enclosures. Excavations conducted over a period of 7 years revealed several residential structures (huts and stone-paved areas) and yielded an abundance of archaeological finds (plain and decorated pottery, arrowheads, “small sickles,” polished stone axes, hand millstones, and loom weights).
Castro de Santiago is a 3-in-1 attraction: a Chalcolithic archaeological site, a granite tor—designated a Geosite by the UNESCO Serra da Estrela Geopark—and a fantastic 360° viewpoint.
For more information, contact the Fornos de Algodres Interpretive Center (CIFA).
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