the residents of Alfândega da Fé to rebuild the Torre de Moncorvo, probably an effort to gain the community's support of the Kingdom of Castelo during the Interregnum (1383–1385). The king visited Alfândega in order to evaluate the Torre de Moncorvo, while travelling to Bragança. In 1510, Manuel I of Portugal established a new foral that redefined and expanded the limits of the municipality. The 1530 census noted that the castle was already "derrubado e malbaratado" (in ruins and of little value), and the 1766 assessments of the municipality identified that "the ancient walls" near the Clock Tower were located in a zone identified as "the castle", referring to the medieval castle. Historical records from this period until the 18th century are rare, and it is known that there were few inhabitants during these eras (less than 100 houses by one source). Yet in the second half of the 18th century, the population had grown considerably, in part due to the export of 1.72 tons of silk (by the 19th century). On 24 October 1855, the municipality was abolished, and its parishes were incorporated into the municipalities of Moncorvo, Vila Flor, Macedo de Cavaleiros and Mogadouro. The municipality was subsequently restored by January 1898. Geography Physical geography Although there have been changes throughout its history, Alfândega da Fé has always maintained a few geographic landmarks: the Serra de Bornes in the north, the valley of the Sabor River to the south, the Plateau of Castro Vicente in the east, and the valley of Vilariça in the west. Covering an area of approximately 320 square kilometres, the extent is a synthesis of the Trás-os-Montes region which covers Serras, small plateaus, plains, as well as shallow and deep valleys. The flora is a mixture of natural and introduced species ranging from chestnut, cork, oak, olive, almond, cherry, orange trees, vineyards to intensely cultivated cereal species (namely rye, which is still cultivated in the area, on lands ~1000 meters above sea level). Climate The region has a climate that varies between extremes: in the winter, the mountains are covered in snow and temperatures are cold; in the spring, the region is covered by wild flowering plants of enormous diversity with almond, cherry and apple orchards covered in blooms; in the summer, the dry heat is responsible for an arid environment; and in the fall, the temperate climate transforms the green of tree leaves