Lamego

Sister cities

• Rio de Janeiro
• Bouchemaine

History

The area around Lamego was inhabited by Ligures and Turduli, and during the Roman presence it was occupied by Coelerni, which left behind several monuments. and repopulated in 868 by Alfonso III. It fell into Islamic hands briefly again during the late 10th century, until Ferdinand I of León and Castile conquered the region definitively on 29 November 1057. As a consequence the bishopric was moved after these events (to later be restored in 1071). In 1128, the nascent national Egas Moniz, had his tenancy in Lamego while his residence was in Britiande, as master of the Riba–Douro, between Paiva and Távora (in addition to the lands of Côa). The most significant moment in the town's history was in 1139, when nobles declared Afonso Henriques to be Portugal's first king. The town's Gothic cathedral was built by him, although only the Romanesque tower is left from the original building, with its carved Renaissance portal and fine cloister dating from the 16th and 18th centuries. The 12th-century castle preserves a fine keep and a very old and unusual cistern with monograms of master masons. King Sancho I issued a charter of independence in 1191, as the local community grew around two poles: the ecclesiastical parishes of Sé and Castelo. In 1290, King Denis provided a market charter to the city, attracting merchants from Castile and Granada with their oriental spices and textiles. Lamego had a privileged positioned on the routes from western Iberia, as a transit point within the settlements of the Além-Douro, Braga and Guimarães, from Alcântara and Mérida to Córdoba and Seville. It was also one of the preferred routes on the Saint James Way pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. But, two events changed the economic and social circumstances in the region: the conquest of…

Geography

Lamego has a Mediterranean climate with some continental influence; with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The nearest weather station is located in Bigorne, almost higher in altitude, and having cooler temperatures as such. While snowfalls in the city may happen usually no more than once or twice per year, the surrounding mountains often experience significantly more. Administratively, the municipality is divided into 18 civil parishes (freguesias): * Lamego (Almacave e Sé) * Avões * Bigorne, Magueija e Pretarouca * Britiande * Cambres * Cepões, Meijinhos e Melcões * Ferreirim * Ferreiros de Avões * Figueira * Lalim * Lazarim * Parada do Bispo e Valdigem * Penajóia * Penude * Samodães * Sande * Várzea de Abrunhais * Vila Nova de Souto d'El-Rei