Tour in Évora

Évora

Évora is a Portuguese city in the Alentejo region. member of the Network of Oldest European Cities and is the fifth largest municipality in Portugal. Its historic center is well preserved and one of the richest in monuments in Portugal, which earns it the epithet of City-Museum. In 1986, the city's historic center was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Bone chapel

It is one of the best-known monuments in Evora. It is located in the church of São Francisco and was built in the 17th century on the initiative of three Franciscan manges who intended to transmit the message of the transience of life, as seen in the famous warning at the entrance: "We bones who are here We wait for yours." In addition to the spiritual issue, there was also a physical issue, which was that there were forty-two monastic cemeteries that were taking up too much space and intended to be used for other purposes. So, they decided to remove the skeletons from the ground and use them. them to build and decorate the chapel.

Diana's Temple

Also known as the Roman Temple of Evora, it is classified as a National Monument by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage. It is one of most famous landmarks in the city and one of the most significant symbols of the Roman presence in Portuguese territory. The temple is an example of religious architecture from the Roman period and It began to be built in the 1st century AD and was dedicated to Emperor Augustus.

The Cartuxa Winery

Quinta de Valbom was founded by Saint Ignatius of Loiola in 1540. In the year 1580, Father Jesufta Pedro Silva wanted to acquire Quinta de Valbom to house the University's teaching staff. The construction of what would become the Jesuit Rest House took around 10 years and resulted in a building with multiple accommodations, a refectory and a chapel. In 1759, with the expulsion of the Society of Jesus from the country, the Quinta, with its construction, became part of the State's assets and, a few years later (1776), was equipped with a wine press that quickly gained importance in the region. . The Cartuxa brand is one of the main assets of the Eugenio de Almeida Foundation. Evora is one of the hottest areas, allowing the production of wines with a good balance of acidity.

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São Francisco church

It is a church with Gothic-Manueline architecture. It would have been the first house of the Franciscan Order in Portugal, having been founded in the 13th century and built between 1480 and 1510 by the stone masters Martim Lourenço and Pero de Trilho and decorated by the regional painters Francisco Henriques, Jorge Afonso and Garcia Fernandes. It is linked to the historical events that marked Portugal's period of maritime expansion. According to tradition, Gil Vicente was buried in this church in 1536.

Giraldo square

In Evora, all roads lead to Praça do Giraldo. It has always been like this since its construction, in 1571/1573. This is an icon of homage to Geraldo Geraldes, as he conquered Evora from the Moors in 1167. In gratitude for this enormous feat, D. Afonso Henriques appointed him mayor of the city and main frontier of the Alentejo, a region that he would help to conquer. The fountain that exists in baroque style has 8 spouts, each associated with each main street in Praça do Giraldo. At the top there is a crown, according to popular history, Philip Ill of Spain, in 1619, thought that the fountain was worthy of being crowned. Also located in Praça do Giraldo, is the church of Santo Antao, also built by D. Henrique.

Monsaraz

The town of Monsaraz was conquered from the Moors, in 1167, by Geraldo Sem Pavor's men. The first charter was granted by D. Afonso 111, on January 15, 1276. The castle of Monsaraz played the role of sentry over the Guadiana over the centuries, guarding the border with Castile. In 2007 Monsaraz was one of the finalists in choosing the 7 Wonders of Portugal. The Castle of Monsaraz, next to the Guadiana River and the modern water mirror of the Alqueva Dam, dominating the medieval village and the border with Spain. Its military architecture mixes medieval and 17th century elements.