Castelo Branco
The "White Castle" of Beira Baixa
Castelo Branco bedspread
José Manuel
Castelo Branco is the major city of the Beira Baixa region of Portugal, and a useful place for the tourist to stay if one wishes to explore the historical villages that surround the city. The 16th century "white castle" from which the city gets its name, still stands high on the hill above the city with the old village around it.
Castelo Branco´s most famous feature are the magnificent gardens of the bishops palace. Amongst the elegantly laid out gardens stand some fascinating stone statues depicting Portuguese kings, saints and wild animals. An interesting historical aspect to note is that due to Portugal´s often volatile relationship with its Spanish neighbour, the statues of King Phillip II and his Queen (who briefly ruled Portugal during the 17th century) are depicted at half the size of their Portuguese counterparts.
Contained within the bishops palace is the Museum de Francisco Tavares Proença Júnior established in 1971. The museum contains three main permanant collections, one of 16th century religious paintings and tapestry from the original bishops palace, another dedicated to the linen industry and the final permanent collection dedicated to embroidered fabrics.
The importance of the textile industry to Castelo Branco goes back to the 18th century and the great reforming agenda of the Marquis de Pombal. For many years Portugal had been producing large amounts of wool, the bulk of which was sold to the textile businesses of northern Europe. However, Portugal imported huge amounts of woven cloth, to the point of placing a strain on the national balance of payments. Several attempts had been made in the past to create a domestic woollen textile industry along the lines that had proved successful in northern Europe, in the hope that Portugal would no longer need to rely on imports. However these experiments generally did not prosper.
Castelo Branco bedspread
José Manuel
In the 18th century the Marquis de Pombal spent large amounts of money modernising Portugal and Castelo Branco was to be the centre of a new and thriving linen trade. Although the linen trade did not become as successful as the Marquis had hoped, it did lead to the production of very high quality embroidered quilts for which Castelo Branco has long be famed.
For tourists visiting this region of Portugal, the museum and the palace gardens are really an essential visit, for they reveal much about Portugal´s history and culture. The museum is closed on Mondays but open through the rest of the week (closing between 12.30 and 2.00 for lunch) and costs 2 Euros to enter.
Hotels in Castelo Branco
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