Seia

Seia lies on the northwestern slopes of the Serra da Estrela, where ancient fortified settlements once watched the mountain approaches. Its castle figured in the struggles surrounding the formation of Portugal: Afonso Henriques expelled the rebel Bermudo Peres and granted Seia and its castle to João Viegas for his service. Afonso gave the town a charter in 1136, and later kings renewed its privileges, including Manuel I in 1510. The mountain country remained an enduring feature of life around the town.