Tower of Menagem - Braga

The Torre de Menagem is just about the only thing left of the castle of Braga.

The first moment in history when we can discover a military structure around the city dates from the late Roman occupation , towards the end of the 3rd century .

The most important reforms took place from the 13th century onwards, when the northern part of the Roman walls was abandoned and the city grew northwards (instead of southwards, towards the recovery of the old Roman space).

Unfortunately , we also know very little about this low-medieval project. The work was extremely slow and it seems that the new enclosure was ineffective, because in the 1370s the city was conquered with apparent ease by Castilian troops.

The keep is the most important surviving element of the old castle built by King Dinis. With a height of 30 metres (and an interior of three floors), it still stands out in the urban fabric of the city today, despite its extreme proximity to many later buildings. The construction shows a clear Gothic design, with battlements and buttresses on the tops, a twin window at the top and the coat of arms of King Dinis.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, when the castle was finished , the royal attention turned to the walls. In this context, numerous square towers appeared, designed to confirm the urban and royal power. However, the new rules of war caused this system to gradually lose its function. In the 16th century, many buildings were already attached to the enclosure from the outside, a clear sign of the inefficiency and abandonment of the system.

Although the cross-reference of archaeological data with documentary elements has allowed to recognize in general the layout of the medieval wall, the fact is that there are many points of doubt , such as the exact location of the gates (it is known that there were at least 4) and the towers, questions that still await new interventions.

Willem Vandenameele