About 3 kilometres west of the town of Penela, at an altitude of about 360 metres, we find the Castle of Germanelo, a fortification ordered to be built by King Afonso Henriques between 1142 and 1144. Germanelo thus became a municipality in 1142.
To the south of this elevation, we find another of similar shape and height, about two kilometres apart, both located in the Rabaçal Valley. These hills have been called "Germanelos" since at least the 12th century.
The term, which means "little brothers" or "twins", due to the notorious similarity of their complexion, gave rise to a legend about two giants, blacksmiths by profession, who lived, each on his own hill, where they had their forges. Curiously, as their main working tool, they had a single hammer or mallet. The whole plot unfolds around this motif.
Little remains of this structure today, but it is still a significant testimony to local, regional and national history, associated with the intangible heritage of the municipality.
Related Complementary Offerings
Penela Castle
