[ Nov.2014 ] On top of the hill where Monsanto village is situated, there is a ruin of a castle.
After arriveing in the village, we tried a few times to go up there, but the rain started and we had to give up.
When we went up there at last, it was already evening.
The view under the soft light was wonderfully dreamy.
According to our guide book, there was a fortress probably even before Roman era.The golden age of the castle was the time of Dom Sancho the first who ruled Portugal at the end of 12th century to the early 13th century.
Now it was a simple ruin which reminded me of a phrase of a Japanese poem “Mounds of summer grass-The place where noble soldiers once dreamed a dream”.
The manmade stone walls and the natural boulders were blended together.
