The town of Lousada, in the Porto district, is at the heart of the Rota do Românico, a cultural-tourist route that involves 58 monuments. Among them, we find the ones from Lousada, which form a simple but interesting itinerary to perform in one day.
For those who want to visit these monuments integrated in the Route of the Romanesque, we advise you to consult the information available online (here.) and the visit to the Interpretative Center of the Romanesque, in Lousada, where there is an exhibition about the Route and where the “Route of the Romanesque Passport” is provided:
1. Espindo Bridge
Espindo Bridge is a Romanesque granite construction with medieval inspiration, but without a concrete year of construction. Consisting of just a round arch, the bridge rests on large pillars on the banks.
The shape of the bridge is ramped on both sides, meeting in the center. Additionally, it is built from blocks of different sizes.
Despite being an apparently simple and discreet bridge, it is also, together with the other structures on this list, an important Romanesque landmark in Portugal.
2. Santa Maria de Meinedo Church
Although its origins date back to the 13th to 14th centuries, excavations carried out in the early 90's identified the existence of a chapel from the 5th to the 6th centuries, so its origin may be older than initially thought.
Associated with its first origin, there is the legend of this Church having housed the body of a Saint, Santo Tirso, during the Visigoth period.
Its interior, despite being simple marked by the existence of a single nave, has an imposing chancel, complemented by the coffered ceiling.
To visit this Church, you can choose to book directly with the Rota do Românico [Route of the Romanesque] or visit during worship (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7pm and Sundays at 11.15am). We, unfortunately, have already found it closed.
3. Vilela Bridge
This is made up of a total of four round arches supported by three pegs. As in the previous one, this one is also built in granite and difficult to date.
Its existence will have been marked by being an important place of passage. Next to it there is a small park.
4. Church of the Savior of Aveleda
In the same style as the previous one, the Church of the Savior of Aveleda was built in the 11th or 12th centuries, although the current building was built only in the following century.
Its interior is more imposing than the previous one, with extremely ornate side altars and a painted ceiling.
Again, and if you are looking to visit the interior, you have to make an appointment or visit during worship time (Sunday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 5:30 pm – winter time, or 6:30 pm – summer time).
5. Vilar Tower
Our favourite monument in Lousada, the Vila Tower is a militar construction of the XIII century. Rectangular in shape and with a considerable height, the tower, despite being located in a considerably large park (which we recommend a visit), goes completely unnoticed, hidden by the trees.
Its interior is quite simple, with emphasis mainly on the support stones of the floors. Contrary to the aforementioned monuments, to visit this monument, the only option is to book the visit in advance.
6. Veiga Bridge
With a structure very similar to the Espindo Bridge, but with a smaller accent in the form of a ramp, the Ponte de Veiga is a 15th century construction.
It is believed that its construction is associated with the Monastery of Pombeiro in Felgueiras, in order to ensure local transit, thus being associated with pilgrimage.
Lousada, despite being a small land, has a considerable number of Romanesque monuments, with strong historical importance.
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