Pópulo Hillfort - The Enigma of the Cyclopean Wall in Northern Portugal

Discover Castro do Pópulo (Pópulo Hillfort), one of Portugal’s most intriguing Iron Age hillforts, hidden amidst the mountainous landscape of Trás-os-Montes, in the municipality of Alijó. Also known locally as Touca Rota Hillfort or Castle of São Marcos, this archaeological site occupies a strategic position, overlooking ancient trade and agricultural routes. Its history stretches back several centuries before Christ, preserved within imposing stone walls and regional folklore.

Explore this unique archaeological gem, notable for its exceptionally rare cyclopean walls—huge granite blocks precisely fitted without mortar. This type of wall is nearly unparalleled on the Iberian Peninsula, sparking intriguing questions about possible contacts with ancient Mediterranean civilisations, such as the Mycenaean Greeks or pre-Roman Italy. Who built this extraordinary fortification? How did these advanced construction techniques reach this remote region?

In this video, we invite you to explore the local traditions linked to Castro do Pópulo, including the legends and religious cults associated with the Chapel of São Marcos and the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte, located next to the fort. Despite its importance, this important archaeological site remains virtually unexplored, raising many questions that, although they remain unanswered for the time being, should be asked.

Video about the Sanctuary of Panóias:    • Panoias Sanctuary: Gods, Rituals and Sacri...  

Pedro Soutinho's magnificent website on Roman roads in Portugal: https://viasromanas.pt/
Direct link to the section covering the specific routes mentioned in the video: https://viasromanas.pt/index.html#cha...
Our thanks for sharing the map, as well as additional relevant information about the region around Castro do Pópulo.

Thanks to the Terra Callaeci website (https://terracallaeci.pt) for authorising the use of the photograph of the Curalha hillfort.

#CastroDoPopulo #PortugueseHistory #AncientArchaeology

English subtitles are available.

Filmed, edited, narrated and written by Carlos de Figueiredo.

Chapters
0:00 - Introduction
1:16 - Satellite View
1:35 - General description of the site
2:00 - References in historical documentation
2:44 - The various names of the hillfort and the mystery of the ‘touca rota’
4:06 - The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Good Death
5:02 - Pópulo Hillfort: historical and geographical background
6:13 - Pópulo Hillfort: relevant places in the neighbourhood
6:55 - Pópulo Hillfort: the Roman roads
8:21 - The Castro Culture
9:59 - The concept of ‘hillfort’ and its breadth
10:19 - Castros (hillforts) in Minho/Douro Litoral vs. Castros in Trás-os-Montes
12:57 - Hillforts and the Romanisation of the Iberian Peninsula
13:35 - The Roman Funerary Stele of Vale do Cunho
14:02 - The Pópulo Hillfort after the fall of the Roman Empire
14:56 - Pópulo Hillfort: structural characterisation
15:36 - Pópulo Hillfort: wall lines
16:30 - Pópulo Hillfort: the Cyclopean wall (general description)
17:07 - Pópulo Hillfort: types of wall construction devices
18:45 - Pópulo Hillfort: the Cyclopean wall (detailed description)
19:39 - Cyclopean/polygonal construction in the Mediterranean world
21:05 - Pre-Roman trade networks in the Iberian Peninsula
22:41 - Pópulo Hillfort: the Cyclopean wall (doubts)
23:31 - Final considerations
24:57 - Coda: remembering Miguel Torga (great Portuguese writer)