The ruins of Penafiel Castle are located in “Alto do Castelo”, on the top of a conical hill more than 320m high, covered by an armor of rocks. It was the seat of local authority in the “Land of Penafiel de Canas” from the second half of the 11th century, and lent its name to the city from 1770 onwards, in a symbolic reinforcement of municipal autonomy.

This granite-plated castle, located before the ruins of “Monte Mozinho”, on the other side of the “Ribeira da Camba Valley”, was constructed in a strategic position on the old Roman road, traced back to medieval times. It is mentioned in 1059 in written documentation, however its existence may be earlier. From its form, a ditch was identified in the northwest area, and the remnants of the collapsed walls to the west and south. Several notches and indentures in the rocks were identified, which would serve as support for buildings. The findings collected to date are mostly medieval, with the exception of a 4th century Roman coin depicting Emperor Crispus.

On the vertical face of a granite outcrop that tops the elevation, known as “Penedo do Gato”, there is an engraving of a warrior holding a circular shield in one hand and a weapon in the other, named “Penhafidelis”.

At the top of “Alto do Castelo” there is a petroglyph, presumably of a Calaic-Lusitanian warrior, dressed in a tunic, brandishing a small round shield and a sword, named Penhafidelis. This representation is typically associated with statues of warriors found in hillforts north of the Douro River, in the Alto Minho region and Galicia, dating from the Bronze Age, 3300 BC to 1200 BC.

This 43cm figure is engraved on the highest rock in the ruins of Penafiel Castle, in a boulder named “Penedo do Gato” (Cat’s Boulder). Due to its attitude of defiance, or triumph, this simple and raw figure of a Lusitanian warrior remains there, on a steep rocky hill, at the top of ruins as a proud and heroic symbol of freedom and independence.

The building whose construction began in the 19th century had its construction abandoned. Today, lay the ruins of around ¼ of the work, with markedly Baroque characteristics and, despite being organized linearly, there are subtle indications that it was going to be built in a U-shape. In addition to the incredible palace with fountains and interior garden, there was a chapel in honor of Saint Anthony, dismantled for an unknown reason.

The facade denotes differences between the upper and lower floors, the latter having smaller windows, commonly associated with typically baroque manors. The upper floor was reserved for the stately apartments, with more exuberant decoration. At the top of the floor, on the main balcony, there is a coat of arms, the one that gave its contours to our D’Canas wine.

Although the reason for the suspension of the works is not clear, it is thought that it was due to the Marquis of Pombal's coup against the nobility for the reconstruction of Lisbon after the earthquake that leveled the capital in 1755. Thus, the legend persists lost in the remains of the megalomaniac construction of the manor that would have as many doors and windows as there are days in a year.

Among the remains found to date, largely medieval, the finding of a 4th century Roman coin from Emperor Crispus stands out. Flavius Julius Crispus was the eldest son of Emperor Constantine I. Proving to be a very talented individual, he was a brilliant soldier and strategist, leading Roman legions in several victories against the Franks and Germanic peoples. However, after a trial whose circumstances are quite dubious, his own father had him executed.