Penedono

One of the most beautiful and oldest castles in Portugal, built in the XI century. Here was born "Magriço", a famous portuguese knight. According to the legend, in the 1390s, twelve English knights insulted twelve ladies, that appealed to their master, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Recalling his Iberian campaigns of the 1380s and the bravery of the Portuguese knights, he wrote to his son-in-law, John I of Portugal, asking him to grant the Portuguese knights permission to travel to England for defense the honour of the 12 ladies. The Twelve were scheduled to set out by ship from Porto, but one of them, Álvaro Gonçalves Coutinho, nicknamed o Magriço, told the others to go ahead without him, that he would make his way overland via Spain and France. The day of the tournament arrived, legendarily held at Smithfield, London, there was still no news of Magriço. But just as the fight was about to be enjoined, he arrived just in time to take his position. The 12 Portuguese champions dispatched the English knights in a brutal fight and the ladies honor was successfully defended.

Neste belo castelo terá nascido no tempo de D. João I, o cavaleiro Alvaro Gonçalves Coutinho, mais conhecido pelo "Magriço", quando seu pai Gonçalo Vasques Coutinho, marechal do reino, era alcaide de Penedono.