The Chaves Keep, possibly built in the 13th or 14th century, is the only preserved vestige of the old medieval castle, which corresponds to a typical characteristic of the gothic military architecture. It is a solid granite construction of the region with a sober interior.

Around 1385, he was submitted by the forces of Dom João I, after his victory in the Battle of Aljubarrota, and he donated it to the Constable, Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira.

Since 1978, the Castle has been home to a Military Museum that makes Portuguese History better known, and is part of the Chaves Museum Network. The Museum occupies the four interior floors of the Tower, which display weapons, swords, uniforms, artillery pieces, flags and trophies used by the Portuguese army from the Middle Ages to the present.

Each floor is dedicated to a period or a theme of military history.

On the first floor is the Dom João I room dedicated to the Reconquest era with various objects such as a replica of Dom João Is helmet, its flag, 17th century swords, figures of some of the peoples who passed by Chaves (archers , warriors, knights, Roman legionary…).

The second floor is dedicated to the Peninsular Wars (1808-1815), to which the city of Chaves is closely linked, since it was through this city that the Second French Invasion, led by Marshal Soult, entered Portugal. This floor contains ancient weapons and armor as well as old photographs of illustrious characters such as Marquez de Chaves, Dom João VI and the Count of Amarante.

Continuing our visit on the third floor, we find the room dedicated to the First World War (1914-1918), where you can see the estate of General José Celestino da Silva, a helmet of the German troops, infantry uniforms and various artillery pieces depicting the time.

On the fourth and last floor of the museum is the room dedicated to colonial wars (1961-1974) with the exhibition of Portuguese and indigenous weapons and uniforms.

The icing on the cake is the view from the top of the castle that gives you the best panoramic view of the city over the old medieval houses, the Chaves valley and the castles evolving garden.

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