Castro of Monte Valinhas

The Castro of Monte Valinhas, also called Castro of Sao Joao de Valinhas, is an archaeological site in Santa Eulalia parish, Arouca, Portugal, occupied over more than 2,000 years. Pre-historic communities settled during the final Iron Age, attracted by its strategic position overlooking the Arda River valley. The site features round Iron Age huts, stone defenses, and earthen ramparts. It was later Romanized from the 1st century BC, and during the 11th century became the castle Cabeca de Terra of Arouca. Archaeological study began in the late 1980s under Antonio Manuel Silva, who identified the walled compound and a fireplace within a circular dwelling. The chapel of S. Joao de Valinhas was built in the modern period, giving the hilltop its current name.