São Pedro do Sul, Portugal

São Pedro do Sul is a municipality in the Central Portuguese district of Viseu. Part of the subregion of Dão-Lafões, the municipality has a population of 16,851 inhabitants and includes 14 civil parishes. The seat of this municipality is the city of São Pedro do Sul, with a population of 5,728 inhabitants.HistoryPre-RomanOne of the oldest monuments of the region is the "Pedra Escrita" that is a written granitic megalith dated from 10th century BC.In the region exist 3 known "Castros". The castro is a fortified village that began to be inhabited from the 6th century BC, lacking streets of right angles and full of construction almost always circular. One of the Castros in São Pedro do Sul is Castro da Cárcoda.Roman EraIn the region exist several Roman bridges and Roman Thermal Spas.Middle AgesSão Pedro do Sul was the southern border of the Kingdom of Portugal at the time of the Foundation of the country, being the natural border the river Vouga that's the reason of the name "Saint Peter of South".The first King of Portugal Afonso Henriques lived in São Pedro do Sul while healing is injuries after the battle of Badajoz.Early ModernThe municipality was created in 1836 when the municipality of Lafões was divided, forming São Pedro do Sul and Vouzela.Late modern and contemporarySão Pedro do Sul was elevated to the status of city on 12 June 2009.Thermal TownSão Pedro do Sul is world wide famous for the thermal baths dating back to pre-Roman time.