Located on Paiva’s river valley, the hermitage of Paiva is a remarkable Romanesque monument built in the 12th century. Founded by two french monks, D. Roberto and D. Afonso, the church is all that remains of the only medieval monastery of the Premonstratensian order in Portugal, it is still noticeable what remains from the ruins of a monastery cloister. This chapelis also known as the “temple of signature marks” by being covered with symbols carved along its walls, probably marks of the masons. There are numerous sculptures scattered throughout the church, almost in an erratic manner, with human representations, frowns, ropes and other geometrical figures of various kinds, thus increasing the beauty and mysticism of this temple.
The Ermida of the Paiva, seated in the Paiva’s valley, is located in an almost idyllic place. Facing the Paiva river, where the fronded riparian galleries dominated by black alder and ash help preserve the valuable biological diversity here, the rare fresh water pearl mussel, the river cruisers dragonfly and the orange-spotted emerald dragonfly or the common kingfisher inhabit these corners. Upstream, coming from Montemuro mountain, breaks the valley that unites the Carvalhosa stream and the Vidoeiro river, a valley where the unique magic of the oak groves host species such as the beautiful bullfinch, the common buzzard, the great tit, the stag beetle or the rare feather pink.
Near the Ermida of the Paiva stands a bridge with a peculiar name. The story that a Brazilian, returning rich from his emigration, bought a property in the left margin of the Paiva. Decided then to build a bridge, since there was no good access. As the bridge began to be of great benefit to the population, the Brazilian resolved to charge tolls. Still are here today the two pillars that fixated the gates. And so it was called the Ponte do Brasileiro (brazilian’s bridge).
