The land of the ancient city of Algodres is located in Beira Alta, near the river Mondego and north of Serra da Estrela.
The royal charter by D. Dinis, given in 1349, was also prepared by Rabbi Bartolomeu Peres and officially confirmed by Rabbi Judas.

Fornos de Algodres must have had a Jewish Community in its territory but is arguably a municipality that has integrated many New Christians, mainly artisans and who were scattered in rural parishes. This reality is confirmed both in the inquisition processes inherent to the county’s current space as in the evidence patented by dozens of cruciform marks whose survey was recently carried out by the City Hall.
In conclusion, it was the 17th and 18th Centuries that originated the evidence of the existence of this rural refuge. The visit can be initiated in the village of Fornos or in the former county seat Algodres.

PLACES TO VISIT:
-    Interpretation Center of History and Archeology – Centro de Interpretação da História e Arqueologia
-    Medieval Necropolis - Necrópole Medieval
-    Neolithic dolmens - Neolítico Dolmens
-    "Queiriz" thorp from Bronze Age – Povoado “Queiriz” da idade do Bronze
-    Cruciform Marks – Marcas Cruciformes

Jews in Fornos de Algodres' Community

In all villages of the actual Fornos de Algodres' community still exist several Jews and New Christians' evidences, both in the type of constructions and in the countless recordings of cruciformes, menorahs, Stars of David and Solomon, grooves for the mezuzahs, and many portals with the stone cut at a forty-five degree angle.

However it's in Fornos de Algodres, Algodres, Figueiró da Granja, Furtado, Casal Vasco, Sobral Pichorro and Casal do Monte, where we can find the most part of the evidences.

Concerning Fornos de Algodres, where we know the most part of houses with Jewish vestiges, we may suppose that there existed a community (with at least ten families). Although there are some vestiges in Rua da Amoreira, Rua de Santo António, Rua das Caretas and Rua Fresca, the major part of the recordings referring to Jews and Neo-Christians may be found in Rua and Travessa da Torre and also in the beginning of the Rua de S. Salvador where has existed the Jewry which would have had its doors next to the Albuquerque de Soveral family's doors.

As there are several houses situated in the rear of the yard of the Abreu Castelo Branco's family (also known as “Senhores de Fornos”), and as the Jews were not allowed to own the lands, we may conclude that all these houses belonged to this family and probably they have leased them to the Jews. As we know that the Jews were compliant with their payments, that may explain the reason why nobody denounces them to the inquisition.

Tourism Office – Fornos de Algodres

Urbanização Sul

6370-148 Fornos de Algodres

Telephone: 271 701 421

Centro de Interpretação Histórica e Arqueológica de Fornos de Algodres (CIHAFA)
Edifício do Tribunal
Rua de S. Miguel
6370-174 Fornos de Algodres
(+351) 271 700 060
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Câmara Municipal de Fornos de Algodres
Estrada Nacional 16
Apartado 15
Fornos de Algodres
6370-999 Fornos de Algodres
(+351) 271 700 060
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