The mythical land of Templars, Dornes, on the banks of the river Zêzere, is full of nooks, crannies and secrets to discover. It is one of the most beautiful villages in the country. 

Located 10 km northeast of Ferreira do Zêzere, in a cove of Castelo do Bode reservoir, the village of Dornes is one of the most curious in central Portugal, due to its unusual location, the views and the picturesque houses, as well as the legends and traditions associated with it. 

Dominating the low, predominantly white houses is the medieval tower, thought to have been built by the Knights Templar to watch over the deep valley of the Zêzere. The foundation of Dornes dates back to the twelfth century and is linked to the appearance of a miraculous image of Our Lady of Weeping.

The first church of Dornes was built by Queen Santa Isabel (daughter of the king of Aragon and wife of the Portuguese king D. Dinis) in the late 13th century, replaced by a larger one in the 15th century. The Nossa Senhora do Pranto pilgrimage takes place on August 15th and attracts a large crowd.

 





Very old land, Dornes will even be before the foundation of nationality, as attested by the monuments and archaeological remains that have been found here. 

Already in the first dynasty some documents that make reference to it, being documented the presence of a religious of Dornes in the Foral de Arega, in the beginning of century XIII. 

Still in the thirteenth century there are references to the Templar Commendation of Dornes. Later, in the fifteenth century, Dornes, as the Commanding Commander of the Order of Christ, had the Commander D. Gonçalo de Sousa, a very influential man, of the House of the Infante D. Henrique, and here he built the Church of Our Lady in 1453. Lady of Weeping. 

This place of worship gave to the town, part of the importance that originated in 1513, the attribution of the Manueline Foral.

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