Last modified: 2025-01-18 by 
klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: castelo melhor | lion(yellow) | vair |
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![[Castelo Melhor commune flag]](../images/p/pt-vlfcm.gif)
2:3, image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 9 Jan 2025
It is a typical Portuguese communal flag, with the coat of arms centred on a field quartered of white and red.
Source: Sérgio Horta´s webpage
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 9 Jan 2025
Shield Sable an impending wall Argent masoned Gules with port of the same, flanked on chief by a lion passant Or charged with three barrulets of vair of Argent and Gules, on base by a lozenge Argent charged with a petroglyph Sable depicting an animal. Mural crown Argent with four visible towers (town rank) and white scroll reading in black upper case serifed letters "CASTELO MELHOR".
Meaning:
The castle is canting and a representation of the local name giving castle. The petroglyph is a representation of the prehistoric rock art sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde. The lion is probably referring to the Kingdom of Leon, to which the town belonged in the 12th century. King Alfonso VII of Leon granted a charter in 1209 and caused the construction of the local castle. The vair pattern of red and white is taken from the family arms of the Vaconcelos kin, who played an important role in local history.
Source: Hiperglobal webpage and English WIKIPEDIA
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 9 Jan 2025
Published in Diário da República: III Série on 27 October 2004
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 9 Jan 2025
Castelo Melhor is one of the 12 communes of Vila Nova de Foz Côa Municipality not affected by the 2013 changes; it had 168 inhabitants in 2021 and covers 36,41 km².
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 9 Jan 2025
back to Vila Nova de Foz Côa Communes click here