Feira

Feira grew beneath the castle of Santa Maria, at a crossroads of old routes through northern Portugal. The fair held here from at least 1117 became one of the kingdom's important markets and gave the town its name. The fortress had guarded the surrounding Terra de Santa Maria during the struggles of the early Portuguese frontier. In 1385, during the succession crisis, men loyal to the Master of Aviz captured the castle. It was granted to Fernão Pereira in 1448 on condition that he rebuild it. Under the Pereira family the fortress became a noble residence, with reinforced defenses and the distinctive turrets that crown its keep.