Besteiros

Besteiros is a historic district in the country around Tondela, between the plateau of the Dão and the Serra do Caramulo. The Criz drains the lower ground between the plateau and the mountains, while the Vale de Besteiros forms a distinct part of the landscape. Documents from the ninth, tenth and twelfth centuries call the region Terra de Balistariis, a name associated with the medieval crossbowmen known as besteiros. Tondela served as the seat of the old municipality of Besteiros until 1836.