Monte Mozinho Castro

Situated in Oldrões, on the Penafiel department, on the Northern region of the Country, this Monte Mozinho Hill Fort, also known as Cidade Morta de Penfield (“dead town of Penafiel”), is one of the great archaeological treasures in Portugal.

Located on a low hillock, overlooking the charming Camba streamlet, this is a strategic point for defence and observation of the surrounding territory.
The archaeological excavations and research of this important heritage have been taking place since the 1930’s, and recently a new Museum project has been formed, aiming for the preservation, information and publicizing of this heritage.

Researches have show that this would have been a fortified settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for military advantage, inhabited during the Romanization of this territory, yet with a large occupancy chronology, probably until the 5th century.
The hill fort would have been fortified with 3 defensive wall lines and an inhabited area of about 22 hectares, suffering many reformulations and alterations during the passage of time.

In the Municipal Museum are two interesting Statues of Galician Warriors that were guarding the entrance of the 1st century wall.
In the outside urban area by the first wall there is a ‘podium’ from a small temple, on the main street. Outside the urban area is situated a necropolis.

The many archaeological goods found in the area are divided in between the Penafiel’s Municipal Museum, the Ethnography and History Museum of Porto and the Anthropology Museum of the Porto University.

The Monte Mozinho Castro is classified as a Public Interesting Building since 19