An extremely well preserved border town, Almeida is remarkable for its
formidable defences in the shape of a twelve-pointed star. In 1810,
during the French invasion, an explosion in the powder-magazine destroyed
the keep and opened great breaches in the walls. Today, it is possible
to visit the casamatas, the undergound soldiers´ barracks, and also
an armory with artifacts recalling Almeida´s military past.