Igreja Santa Maria de Almacave

This unassuming little church is Lamego’s oldest surviving building, much of it dating back to the 12th century. It’s thought that after winning independence from Spain, Portugal’s first king assembled his initial cortes (an early version of Portugal’s proto-democratic assembly of nobles and clergy) here from 1142 to 1144. It occupies the site of a Moorish cemetery; some of its grave markers are now in the Museu de Lamego.