The whole region has witnessed the presence of man since the earliest times of his existence, since the archaeological remains, from the Paleolithic to the present time, confirm the continuity of the occupants' stay throughout the ages, eg the mead of the mead, the megalithic necropolis of the marshmen, buildings of false dome, several tapirs.
The architectural heritage of Castelo de Vide is of great wealth, it is the expression of a history full of vicissitudes, remaining alive the signs of different occupations. Worthy of mention are the medieval village, the castle, the fort of S. Roque, the walls that surround the village, the Jewish quarter, the medieval synagogue and the ogival doors and windows from the 14th to the 16th centuries. In addition to being a strong tourist attraction, the architectural heritage of Castelo de Vide is an element of reference in the territorial identity of its inhabitants. The resident population is 4144 inhabitants, and the local economy is mainly based on tourism.
The architectural heritage of Castelo de Vide is of great wealth, it is the expression of a history full of vicissitudes, remaining alive the signs of different occupations. Worthy of mention are the medieval village, the castle, the fort of S. Roque, the walls that surround the village, the Jewish quarter, the medieval synagogue and the ogival doors and windows from the 14th to the 16th centuries. In addition to being a strong tourist attraction, the architectural heritage of Castelo de Vide is an element of reference in the territorial identity of its inhabitants. The resident population is 4144 inhabitants, and the local economy is mainly based on tourism.
The soil is characterized by rocks of the pre-ordovician shale-grauváquico complex, surrounded by granite hericiones of Nisa to the east and to the north and technified granites of Portalegre to the south. It has a variable relief, the south part being characterized by several elevations, having the highest 762m of altitude, while to the north, in the area of the shale-gravel complex, the terrain becomes flatter with heights between 290 and 320m.
Regarding fauna and flora, the diversity of ecological conditions points to the presence of numerous communities of animals. Birds considered rare, such as the Bonelli's eagle and the griffon, share the territory with hawks, copper eagles, gray kestrels, kites, and tortoises, and there is also the presence of the bufo-real and the owl-weed. In addition to the birds of prey, the presence of the black stork in Castelo de Vide, while a large group of passerines inhabit the mountains. Taken together, the species referenced represent more than half of those reported as nesting in the country.
Mammals, the boar and the deer are expanding, being the badger, the toad, the tail-tails, the geneta, the wild cat, the well-known fox and the common rabbit, the most common animals.
Regarding fauna and flora, the diversity of ecological conditions points to the presence of numerous communities of animals. Birds considered rare, such as the Bonelli's eagle and the griffon, share the territory with hawks, copper eagles, gray kestrels, kites, and tortoises, and there is also the presence of the bufo-real and the owl-weed. In addition to the birds of prey, the presence of the black stork in Castelo de Vide, while a large group of passerines inhabit the mountains. Taken together, the species referenced represent more than half of those reported as nesting in the country.
Mammals, the boar and the deer are expanding, being the badger, the toad, the tail-tails, the geneta, the wild cat, the well-known fox and the common rabbit, the most common animals.
In a region where the Mediterranean expression is evident, the presence of oaks and chestnuts gives this Alentejo a taste of northern halts, both of which live in half-walled cork oaks, holm oaks, olive trees and a whole host of wild species, some of which are rare.
The seasonal water lines are abundant and the main streams (S. João, da Vide and Nisa) irrigate the fields making some areas have good humidity levels during most of the year, which allows the cultivation of several species and the existence of good pasture areas.
In the subsoil there are several deposits of copper, iron, lead, wolfram. The quality of its groundwater levels allows the appearance of many springs throughout the Municipality, highlighting the mineral-medicinal water (Vitalis and Castelo de Vide) properties, which are exploited further south in the granite zone, constituting an important industrial resource.
O património arquitectónico de Castelo de Vide é de uma grande riqueza, é a expressão de uma história plena de vicissitudes, permanecendo vivos os sinais de diferentes ocupações. Merecem destaque o burgo medieval, o castelo, o forte de S. Roque, as muralhas que envolvem a vila, a judiaria, a sinagoga medieval e as portas e janelas ogivais dos séculos XIV a XVI. Para além de constituir uma forte atracção turística, o património arquitectónico de Castelo de Vide constitui um elemento de referência na identidade territorial dos seus habitantes. A população residente é de 4144 habitantes, e a economia local assenta principalmente no turismo.
O solo é caracterizado por rochas do complexo xisto-grauváquico ante-ordovícico, envoltas por granitos hericínios de Nisa a este e a norte e granitos tecnonizados de Portalegre a sul. Apresenta um relevo variável sendo a parte sul caracterizada por várias elevações, tendo a mais alta 762m de altitude, enquanto que para norte, na área do complexo xisto-grauváquico, o terreno torna-se mais plano com cotas entre os 290 a 320m.
Relativamente à fauna e à flora, a diversidade das condições ecológicas aponta para a presença de numerosas comunidades de animais. Aves consideradas raras, como a águia-de-bonelli e o grifo, repartem o território com gaviões, águias cobreiras, peneireiros-cinzentos, milhafres e tartaranhões, havendo ainda a assinalar a presença do bufo-real e da coruja-do-mato. Para além das aves de presa, é de notar a presença da cegonha-negra em Castelo de Vide, enquanto um numeroso grupo de passeriformes povoa os recantos serranos. No seu conjunto, as espécies referenciadas representam mais de metade das dadas como nidificantes no país.
Dos mamíferos, o javali e o veado encontram-se em expansão, sendo o texugo, o toirão, o saca-rabos, o geneta, o gato-bravo, a conhecida raposa e o vulgar coelho, animais mais comuns.
Numa região em que a expressão mediterrânica é manifesta, a presença de carvalhais e castinçais conferem a este Alentejo um sabor de paragens setentrionais, ambas vivem em paredes meias com sobreiros, azinheiras, oliveiras e todo um cortejo de espécies silvestres, algumas das quais raras.
As linhas de água sazonais são abundantes e as principais ribeiras (S. João, da Vide e de Nisa) irrigam os campos fazendo com que algumas zonas apresentem bons níveis de humidade durante a maior parte do ano, facto que permite o cultivo de várias espécies hortícolas e a existência de boas zonas de pastagens.
No subsolo encontram-se várias jazidas de cobre, ferro, chumbo, volfrâmio. A qualidade dos seus níveis freáticos permitem o aparecimento de muitas nascentes por todo o Concelho, destacando-se as propriedades das águas minero-medicinais (Vitalis e Castelo de Vide) exploradas mais a sul na zona de granitos, constituíndo um importante recurso industrial.
No subsolo encontram-se várias jazidas de cobre, ferro, chumbo, volfrâmio. A qualidade dos seus níveis freáticos permitem o aparecimento de muitas nascentes por todo o Concelho, destacando-se as propriedades das águas minero-medicinais (Vitalis e Castelo de Vide) exploradas mais a sul na zona de granitos, constituíndo um importante recurso industrial.
