Aqui nasceu Portugal — the medieval town where a nation was born in 1143
Guimarães is engraved on the Portuguese national identity with the words 'Aqui nasceu Portugal' (Here Portugal was born), carved into the city gate — a reference to the birth of Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, and his decisive victory over the Moors at the nearby Battle of São Mamede in 1128. The UNESCO-listed historic centre has changed remarkably little since the 15th century: a walled old town of cobblestone streets, medieval squares, Renaissance fountains, and timber-framed houses painted in earthy yellows and whites. The 10th-century castle on a hill above town is where leg…
Guimarães is considered the cradle of Portuguese nationality: Afonso Henriques, born here around 1109, defeated the Moors at the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 and declared himself the first King of Portugal in 1143. His childhood in the castle (or its environs) is the founding myth of the nation. The historic centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 for its exceptionally well-preserved medieval street plan, which includes the 10th-century castle, the 15th-century Paço dos Duques, and cobblestoned squares largely unchanged since the 15th century.