RAIA
EUROPE'S OLDEST BORDER WITH 1319 KILOMETRES OF HISTORY
The Raia, settled in 1297 by the Treaty of Alcanizes, has been the scene of battles, exchanges and coexistence over the centuries and today invites you to discover a unique territory where the history, culture and landscapes of Portugal and Spain are intertwined.
The Raia is the terrestrial border between Portugal and Spain, stretching over 1,319 km, from Caminha to Castro Marim, in a continuous line that always flows into the Atlantic.
It is the oldest border in Europe, established after the Christian conquest campaigns and consolidated with the Treaty of Alcanizes, signed on September 12th 1297 between King Dinis of Portugal and Ferdinand IV of Castile and León.
This treaty established boundaries dating back to the time of the Condado Portucalense, definitively integrating Ribacôa and other important squares into Portuguese territory.
The Raia follows river courses in many stretches - being called the wet raia - or is delimited by landmarks and notable points on dry land, known as the dry raia. In Portugal, it is called Raia; in Spain, la Raya. Despite dividing two countries, it is a territory shared by two people with a common culture, identity, habits, resources and landscapes.
Being from the Raia has always been a special condition. Today, it is an avant-garde condition: it symbolises a community that, while also being European, goes beyond national borders. Raia has become a space for co-operation, where currency is no longer minted or justice administered exclusively, but where the closeness between people is experienced on a daily basis.
Throughout history, disputes such as the Contenda de Moura (1926), the Couto Misto (abolished in 1864) and the Olivença question, still felt in Portugal, have shown that the border has also been the scene of tensions. However, the reality today is that the Raia unites more than it separates. Its medieval and modern fortifications bear witness to a shared history of war, of courage and the deeds of people who once owned empires.
Today, the Raia represents not only the border between two countries, but also an area of meeting and sharing, a symbol of a cross-border identity that has been cultivated for over 700 years, since Alcanizes.
Chronological Overview
701-800: Conquest of territories from the Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula and disputes with Christian kingdoms.
1297: Treaty of Alcanizes - formal establishment of the border between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Kingdom of Castile, defining the Raia and integrating Ribacôa and other important squares, such as Campo Maior, into Portuguese territory.
1640: Restoration of Portuguese Independence - this marks the beginning of a period in which the fortification gained strategic importance, especially after the war and the recovery of independence.
1501-1800: Construction of bastioned fortresses - development of military fortifications in response to new warfare techniques, such as the use of firearms, and the need to defend borders.
1801: War of the Oranges - conflict between Portugal and Spain resulting in the Olivença issue, still a controversial issue between the two countries today.
1864: Treaty of Limits - extinction of the Couto Misto, a no-man's land located north of Chaves, between Portugal and Spain.
1926: Boundary Convention (Contenda de Moura) - discussions in Lisbon on border issues, especially related to the disputed lands between Portugal and Spain.
1901-2000: The bastioned fortifications become symbols of a common heritage between the peoples of the Raia, reflecting the history of war, independence and mutual co-operation.
2001-to day: The concept of Raia goes beyond physical borders, being a region that unites more than one people.