Chimneys and Castles

Suddenly realized that tomorrow is the last day for the Community challenge, so wandered up to the Land this afternoon, trying to get an interesting photo...

Mourão's chief claim to a unique architectural heritage are its dozens of Moorish chimneys, which aren't actually Moorish as such, but for some reason, started being built like this when the town was rebuilt after the terrible 1755 earthquake. They are above huge fireplaces, used to smoke pig meat and sausages - not good at all for warming the houses.

The other distinctive architecture of this region are the castles, of course; you can see a section of Mourão's in the middle of the photo. First built by the Moors, then taken from them by the Portuguese, and then constantly attacked and besieged by the Spaniards over several years (the present border is only 7km away). After one battle, it was rebuilt in the Vauban style, with double star shaped fortifications; one point juts out towards our land and makes a good place to take photos of it.

The tower you can see in the castle belongs to the main church, built into the castle walls. It was also rebuilt after the earthquake - they say that it was utterly destroyed, but that, miraculously, the image of the patron saint, Nossa Senhora das Candeias, was untouched - she's still there, holding baby Jesus, and wearing a rich blue embroidered robe - she's taken out and paraded round the town on her feast day, on the 2nd February. 

And then there''s the painted borders round the base and openings of the houses, and the Roman roof tiles, and the tile pictures that often decorate houses, like the one on the house with the Moorish chimney - it's of a hunter with a brace of pheasants.