Granjinha, in the municipality of Vale de Anta, is located to the southeast of Chaves (district of Vila Real), on one of the banks of the Tâmega River. It owns its origins to the Cistercian Order.
The place name has its origin in agriculture which refers to the Latin word granu and seems to be associated with the villages founded within the territory of a monastic order; however there are signs that give evidence of a settlement here prior to this.
The local church was built in the 13th Century and was declared a Site of Public Interest. It is one of the most interesting Romanesque churches in the area due to its uniqueness and decoration. A multitude of remains from the Roman period have been found in the immediate surroundings. This building sits upon an ancient village which was situated on the via that connects Chaves (Acquae Flaviae) with the actual Braga (Bracara Augusta). The church has been restored in different phases throughout the past century, and it was during one of these interventions in 1986 that the Roman village was discovered.
Since the region possesses land conducive to agricultural production, it has not suffered depopulation problems and has experienced successive occupations starting during Iron Age.
