La torre emiral de Idanha-a-Velha

Abstract

The scientific literature published to date catalogs the tower of Idanha-a-Velha as Templar. An inscription, dated in the middle of century XIII and located in the arch of the access in height is usually the documentary reference. However, another series of data, mainly archaeological, has led us to propose a juxtaposed hypothesis: this tower would have been erected during the IX-X century. In recent years, a multidisciplinary team has formalized a critical review of the scientific literature -bibliography and gray literature- and has set in motion a set of non-invasive archaeological methods. From here, we wanted to rethink the reading of the building, mainly its facades. From this moment on, the research approach would focus on correctly contextualizing this unique example of medieval military architecture. The resulting data has been a major turning point in local history.