Citânia de Briteiros

About 12km/7.5mi east of Braga on Monte Sao Romao, surrounded by the pleasant hills of the Serra Falperra, are the remains of the Citânia de Briteiros, an Iron Age settlement. Together with Castro de Sabroso it is Portugal's oldest known settlement to date. Fragments of pottery (much of it painted), carved stones, weapons, implements and jewelry recovered during the excavations are now in the Museu de Martins Sarmento in Guimaraes.

Must-see attractions nearby:

Palácio dos Biscainhos

Museu Pio XII

Igreja da Misericórdia

It is well worth taking the time to look round Citânia de Briteiros, climbing slowly up from the entrance located below the main excavation area to the two reconstructed round huts and then on to the small chapel of Sao Romao on top of the hill where there is an excellent general view over the site.

History

The Celtic-Iberian settlement, discovered in 1874 and excavated from 1875 onwards under the direction of Franciso Martins Sarmento (1833-99), was probably established about 500 B.C.; its most flourishing period was in the fourth C. B.C. and, as the excavations have shown, it continued to be occupied into late Roman times.