Évora

 city, monument, Medieval / Middle Ages

Évora - UNESCO's World Heritage

Due to the well-preserved old town centre, still partially enclosed by mediaeval walls, with its large number of monuments dating from various historical periods, Évora is included in UNESCO's World Heritage list. It was known by the Romans as Liberalitas Julia, and vestiges from this period (walls and rooms) and the monumental Roman Imperial temple, still remain. During the barbarian invasions, Evora came under Visigoth rule. It occupied a space defined by a Roman enclosure that had been modified. In 715, the city was conquested by Muslims.

Évora was wrested from the moors by Gerald the Fearless (Geraldo Sem Pavor) in 1166 and flourished as one of the most dynamic cities in the Kingdom of Portugal during the Middle Ages. The court resided here for long periods and Évora became the scene for many royal weddings and a site where many important decisions were made. Particularly thriving during the Avis Dynasty (1385-1580), it was formerly a major centre for the humanities. The university was founded by the Jesuits in 1559, and it was here that great European Masters such as Clenardo and Molina passed on their knowledge. In the 18th century, the Jesuits, which had spread intellectual and religious enlightenment since the 16th century, were expelled from Portugal, the university was closed in 1759 and Évora went into decline. The university was only reopened in 1973.

The many monuments erected by major artists of each period now testify to Évora's lively cultural, artistic and historical past. The variety of architectural styles (Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Baroque), the palaces and the picturesque labirinth of squares and narrow streets of the city centre are all part of the rich heritage of this museum-city.

Monuments:
- Água de Prata Aqueduct: With its huge arches stretching for 8 km, this aqueduct was built in 1531-37 by King João III to supply the city with water.
- Cathedral of Évora: Mainly built between 1280 and 1340, it is one of the most important gothic monuments of Portugal. The cathedral has a notable main portal with statues of the Apostles (around 1335) and a beautiful nave and cloister. One transept chapel is manueline and the outstanding main chapel is baroque. The pipeorgan and choir stalls are renaissance (around 1566).
- S. Brás Chapel: Built around 1480, it is a good example of mudéjar-gothic with cylindrical buttresses. Only open for prayer.
- Saint Francis Church (Igreja de São Francisco): Built between the end of the 15th and the early 16th centuries in mixed gothic-manueline styles. The wide nave is a masterpiece of late gothic architecture. Contains many chapels decorated in baroque style, including the Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos), totally covered with human bones.
- Palace of Vasco da Gama: Vasco da Gama resided here in 1519 and 1524, the dates corresponding to his nomination as the Count of Vidigueira and Viceroy of India. The manueline cloister and some of its renaissance mural paintings are still preserved.
- Palace of the Counts of Basto: Primitive Moorish castle and residence of the kings of the Alfonsine dynasty. Its outer architecture displays features of gothic, manueline, mudéjar and renaissance styles.
- Palace of the Dukes of Cadaval: The palace is constitued in part by an old castle burnt in 1384; it is dominated by the architectural elements of the manueline-moorish period and by a tower called Tower of the Five Shields.
- Loios Convent and Church: Built in the 15th century, contains a number of tombs; the church and the cloister are gothic in style, with a manueline chapterhouse with a magnificent portal. The church interior is covered in tiles from the 18th century.
- Ladies' Gallery of Manuel I's Palace (Galeria das Damas do Palacio de D. Manuel): Remnants of a palace built by King Manuel I in gothic-renaissance style. According to some chroniclers, it was in this palace, in 1497, that Vasco da Gama was given the command of the squadron he would lead on his maritime journey to India.
- Roman Temple: Improperly called Diana Temple, this 1st century-temple was probably dedicated to the Cult of Emperor Augustus. The temple was incorporated into a mediaeval building and thus survived destruction.
- University of Évora: Formely a Jesuit college built by Cardinal-King Henrique in 1559, it includes the 16th century mannerist church and the academic buildings surrounding the large 17th-18th century cloister.
- Renaissance fountain at Largo das Portas de Moura: Built in 1556 in renaissance style. This original fountain has the shape of a globe surrounded by water, a reference to the Age of Discovery.
- Giraldo Square: Center of the city; in this square King Duarte built the Estaus Palace which even today maintains its Gothic look; the fountain and St Anton's church are from the 16th century.
- Cromeleque dos Almendres, 5 km from Évora: Megalithic monument.
- Anta Grande do Zambujeiro, 15 km from Évora near Valverde: It is the larger dolmen in the region.
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