HISTORY

Castelo Novo originally belonged to the extensive territories donated by Portuguese monarchs to the Order of the Templars, later Order of Christ, to promote and ensure possession of the domains conquered from Muslims in the 13th century in Beira lands. With King Manuel I, in the 16th century, it received its charter, and this king's intervention in the architectural heritage of the old town is well documented. The structure of space occupation is thus characteristically medieval, with significant interventions from the Manueline (16th century) and Baroque (18th century) periods. The unusual architectural ensemble of Largo do Pelourin is an example of this.

The Historic Village of Castelo Novo, in the municipality of Fundão (Castelo Branco district), is the only Portuguese location distinguished this year with the 'Best Tourism Village 2022' award from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).