Espindo Bridge

Rota do Românico No. 10

Ponte de Espindo

A transitional medieval bridge of a late period than that of Vilela with a trastly tray that shows it is more Gothic than Romanesque. The Espindo Bridge is composed of a single arch sustained by solid pillars stremming directly from the river banks, the one in the left bank being protected by a wall or is let upstream.

Name: Espindo Bridge
Type: Bridge
Classification: pending classification
Style: Methodology constructive medieval
State of Conservation: Good
Time of Visit: Guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 10h to 13h, by appointment. Minimum visitors: 10.
Price of Admission: Free

For explanation on Portuguese please visit official site of Romans ways:
Phone: 255 810 706 / 918 116 488
Fax: 255 810 709
E-Mail: rrvs@valsousa.pt
Web: www.rotadoromanico.com

Location: Place Espindo, neighborhood Meinedo, Lousada, Oporto, Portugal

How to get there:
If approaching from the north of Portugal through the A28 (Road/Oporto), the A3 (Valença/Oporto) or A7 (Sabrosa / Oporto) follow the direction of Penafiel (A4) A11 (Esposende/Marco de Canaveses). Get to Caíde de Rei on A11. Follow the signs to RRVS that through road N320 and N320-1, will take you to Bridge Espindo, through the Church of Meinedo.
If coming from downtown or south of the country by the A1 (Lisbon-Oporto) or the A29 (Estarreja/VN Gaia) in Oporto between crossing the river Douro through the bridge of the Ash.
From Oporto you may go for A4/IP4 (Vila Real) or A41/A42 (Oporto) that will lead to the A11, following signs Felgueiras and Amarante, respectively. On the A11 take exit on Caíde de Rei. From there follow the signs to RRVS (Church of Meinedo).
If you are already in the town of Lousada, turn onto the road N320 following the direction of the Market Hall at the intersection of traffic lights before the Court. From this intersection go straight ahead until you find the signs of RRVS that will take you to the bridge of Espindo.

Geographic Coordinates: Lat: 41 ° 14 '36.15 "N / Long: 8 ° 16' 25.04" W

Church of Santa Maria of Meinedo

Rota do Românico No. 9

Igreja de santa Maria de Meinedo

A late construction that may be the reconstruction of an old monastery of hermits that probably stood in the very same place in the 11th century as a reform of an old Suevi-Visigoth bulding from the 7th century. The current bulding probably dates back to the 13th century and has an inscription from 1262 at the entrance of the church. Meinedo was the head of a Bishopie in the 16th century.

Name: Church of Santa Maria of Meinedo
Type: Church / Monastery
Classification: Property of Public Interest from 1945
Style: Romanesque rural
State of Conservation: Good
Festival Patron: Our Lady of the Snows - second weekend, week of September
Time of Worship: 3, 6 Friday and Saturday at 19h, Sunday, holidays and feast days at 11:15
Time of Visit: Saturday and Sunday from 10h to 13h, by appointment. Minimum visitors: 10.
Price of Admission: Free

For explanation on Portuguese please visit official site of Romans ways:
Phone: 255 810 706 / 918 116 488
Fax: 255 810 709
E-Mail: rrvs@valsousa.pt
Web: www.rotadoromanico.com

Location: Station Place, parish of Meinedo, Lousada, Oporto, Portugal

How to get there:
If approaching from the north of Portugal through the A28 (Road/Oporto), the A3 (Valença/Oporto) or A7 (Sabrosa/Oporto) follow the direction of Penafiel (A4) A11 (Esposende/Marco de Canaveses). Get to Caíde de Rei on the A11, following signs to RRVS to the Church of Meinedo.
If coming from downtown or south of the country by the A1 (Lisbon-Oporto) or the A29 (Estarreja/VN Gaia) in Oporto between crossing the river Douro through the bridge of the Ash.
From Oporto you may go for A4/IP4 (Vila Real) or A41/A42 (Oporto) that will lead to the A11, following signs of Felgueiras and Amarante, respectively. On the A11 take exit on of Caíde de Rei.
If you are already in the town of Lousada, turn onto the road N320 following the direction of the Market Hall at the intersection of traffic lights before the Court. From this intersection go straight ahead until you find the signs of RRVS. At the entrance of Meinedo, soon after crossing over the River Sousa, do not consider the statement to the right of RRVS moving on to the Church of Meinedo.

Geographic Coordinates: Lat: 41 ° 14 '54,789 "N / Long: 8 ° 15' 26,908" W

Vilela Bridge

Rota do Românico No. 8

Ponte de Vilela

Dificult to date, this bridge may have been built at the time when the traffic grew in the Sousa Valley, creating the need to cross the natural obstacle that was the Sousa River. The Vilila Bridge is composed of four perfect arches. These arches are supported by three blind piers, reinforced with triangular cutwaters upstream and quadrangular ones downstream.

Name: Vilela Bridge
Type: Bridge
Classification: pending classification
Style: Methodology constructive medieval
State of Conservation: Good
Time of Visit: Guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 10h to 13h, by appointment. Minimum visitors: 10.
Price of Admission: Free

For explanation on Portuguese please visit official site of Romans ways:
Phone: 255 810 706 / 918 116 488
Fax: 255 810 709
E-Mail: rrvs@valsousa.pt
Web: www.rotadoromanico.com

Location: Place of Vilela, neighborhood Aveleda, Lousada, Oporto, Portugal

How to get there:

If approaching from the north of Portugal through the A28 (Road/Oporto), the A3 (Valença /Oporto) or A7 (Sabrosa /Oporto), follow directions to Felgueiras A11 (Esposende/Oporto) and then in Paços de Ferreira on the A42. Exit in Alvarenga /Lousada and follow the signs to RRVS that will take you to the Vilela Bridge, turning left at the Church of Aveleda.
If coming from downtown or south of the country by the A1 (Lisbon-Oporto) or the A29 (Estarreja/VN Gaia) in Oporto between crossing the river Douro through the bridge of the Ash.
From Oporto you may go for A4/IP4 (Vila Real) then following the A11 (Felgueiras) and A42 (Oporto) and exit to Alvarenga/Lousada. If you choose the A41/A42 (Oporto) exit also Alvarenga.
If you are already in the town of Lousada take the direction of the road Felgueiras N207 following signs of RRVS until Ponte de Vilela passing the Church of Aveleda.

Geographic Coordinates: Lat: 41 ° 16 '9016 "N / Long: 8 ° 14' 53,899" W

Church of the Savior of Aveleda

Rota do Românico No. 7

Igreja do Salvador de Aveleda

The Church of the Savior of Aveleda is a testimony to the presistence of the Romanique form in the Portuguese medievel architecture. It presents very late Romanesque elements, testifying to a construction that is hardly from any time before the late 13th century or even the early 14th century, despite the fact that the foundation of this church goes back to the 11th or 12th century.

Name: Church of the Savior of Aveleda
Type: Church / Monastery
Classification: Property of Public Interest (IIP) by Decree N º. 95/78, Official Gazette 210 of 12 September 1978.
Style: Romanesque resistance
State of Conservation: Good
Festival Patron #: Divine Savior - August 6
Time of Worship: Sunday at 10:30 am, Saturday 18.30
Time of Visit: Saturday and Sunday from 10h to 13h, by appointment. No minimum visitors: 10.
Price of Admission: Free

For explanation on Portuguese please visit official site of Romans ways:
Phone: 255 810 706 / 918 116 488
Fax: 255 810 709
E-Mail: rrvs@valsousa.pt
Web: www.rotadoromanico.com

Location: Place of the Church, the parish of Aveleda, Lousada, Oporto, Portugal

How to get there:
If approaching from the north of Portugal through the A28 (Road/Oporto), the A3 (Valença/Oporto) or A7 (Sabrosa / Oporto), follow directions to Felgueiras A11 (Esposende/Oporto) and then in Paços de Ferreira on the A42. Exit on Alvarenga /Lousada.
If coming from downtown or south of the country by the A1 (Lisbon-Oporto) or the A29 (Estarreja / VN Gaia) in Porto between crossing the river Douro through the bridge of the Ash.
From Oporto may go for A4/IP4 (Vila Real), then follow the A11 (Felgueiras) and A42 (Oporto) to release Alvarenga /Lousada. If you choose the A41/A42 (Oporto) exit also Alvarenga.
If you are already in the town of Lousada take the direction of Felgueiras the N207 road, following signs to RRVS to the Church of Aveleda.

Geographic Coordinates: Lat: 41 ° 16 '46.51 "N / Long: 8 ° 15' 10.95" W

The Tower Vilar

Rota do Românico No. 6

Torre de Vilar

The Tower Vilar, more than a military construction, is a symbol of the power of the feudal lords over the territory. It is a valuable testimony of the existence of the domus fortis, the fortified stately manor, in the Sousa Valley region. It was most probably built between the second half of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century. Accoeding to 1258´s Inquiries, Sante Mary of Vilar was Honour of Sir Gil Martins and his descendents, of the Ribavizela family.

Name: The Tower Vilar
Type: Tower
Classification: Property of Public Interest in 1978
State of Conservation: Good
Time of Activity: From Friday to Sunday from 10h to 13h and from 14h30 to 18h30.
Price of Admission: Free

For explanation on Portuguese please visit official site of Romans ways:
Phone: 255 810 706 / 918 116 488
Fax: 255 810 709
E-Mail: rrvs@valsousa.pt
Web: www.rotadoromanico.com

Location: Tower Place, parish of Vilar do Torno and Alentém, Lousada, Oporto, Portugal

How to get there:
If approaching from the north of Portugal through the A28 (Road/ Oporto), the A3 (Valença / Oporto) or A7 (Sabrosa /Oporto) follow the direction of Penafiel (A4) A11 (Esposende / Marco de Canaveses). Exit on Caíde the A11. Follow road trip for the N15 to find the Lixaand follow indication to Tower Vilar.
If coming from downtown or south of the country by the A1 (Lisbon-Oporto) or the A29 (Estarreja / VN Gaia) in Porto between crossing the river Douro through the bridge of the Ash.
From Oporto you may go for A4/IP4 (Vila Real) or A41/A42 (Lousada) that will lead to the A11 following signs of Felgueiras and Amarante, respectively. On the A11 take exit in Caíde and follow the direction of Lixa/Amarante, across the road N15 until you find the indication Vilar Tower.
If you are already in the town of Lousada take the direction of Felgueiras the road N207. Shortly after, turn right to Nogueira, following the signs to RRVS. Do not consider the indication to turn right (Church of Aveleda) and go straight to the destination location of Aparecida.

Geographic Coordinates: Lat: 41 ° 17 '12,082 "N / Long: 8 ° 12' 36,906" W