Reguengos de Monsaraz

ALENTEJO_TIME TO BE HAPPY
activities and
experiences
reguengos
de monsaraz
POTTERY AND CLAY
IBERIAN FAIR (MAY)
In a partnership between
S. Pedro do Corval and
Salvatierra de Los Barros, in
Badajoz, Spain – the two
largest pottery centres of the
Iberian Peninsula – this event
promoting traditional
pottery takes place every
other year in one of the
locations (the odd-numbered
years are in São Pedro do
Corval), with tours around
the potteries, debates,
concerts and gastronomy.
MONSARAZ OPEN
MUSEUM
This fortress’s monumentality
and its surroundings make
Monsaraz the perfect setting
for all sorts of artistic and
cultural demonstrations.
Monsaraz Open Museum
and its cultural biennial (on
even-numbered years) offer
unique cultural opportunities
in exceptionally beautiful
surroundings.
ASTROTOURISM
Several hotels, in partnership
with the Alqueva Dark Sky
Reserve, promote nocturnal
astronomical observations.
WINE TOURISM
One of the
Alentejo’s most
famous wineproducing regions,
with seven wine
tourism entities
and countless
wineries to visit
and explore.
HANDICRAFTS
As well as the
pottery of S. Pedro
do Corval, this
region is also
known for its
“Mantas de
Reguengos”
(Reguengos rugs),
the painted
furniture, leather
and copper items
and the traditional
rattles.
POTTERY
The country’s
largest pottery
centre, S. Pedro do
Corval has over 20
functioning
potteries.
CELEBRATIONS IN HONOUR
OF SENHOR JESUS DOS
PASSOS
Taking place during the
second weekend of
September, it includes a
religious procession through
the town of Monsaraz, musical
shows, dances and a bull run.
CUISINE
“Migas” (breadcrumbs),
“açordas” (bread stews),
gazpacho, black pig, lamb,
game, river fish, smoked
sausages and cheese are just
some of the delicious dishes
that you must try. Those with a
sweet tooth will love the
“rançoso” (“rotten”) and olive
oil cake and the honey.
itinerary
monsaraz and
reguengos
de monsaraz
o understand the history
of Reguengos de
Monsaraz, we must first
travel to Monsaraz, the
municipality’s oldest
medieval town. Once you
pass through the Town Gate
in the northern quarter, you
are immediately struck by
Monsaraz’s unique
atmosphere: up and down its
narrow, schist stoned streets
which clash with the
whitewashed houses, upon
entering the small shops
selling regional produce,
WALKS
Take your time to
stroll up and down
the streets of
Monsaraz.
T
MEDIEVAL TOWN
Every nook and
cranny of the
magnificent
medieval town of
Monsaraz is
teaming with
history.
ST. ANTHONY
CELEBRATIONS
Celebrated in honour of the
town’s patron saint on the
week that falls around June 13,
it includes displays of regional
products, religious
celebrations, music, popular
marches and bull runs.
EXPOREG - REGUENGOS
DE MONSARAZ ECONOMIC
ACTIVITIES EXHIBITION
(AUGUST)
An event which promotes the
region’s businesses, products
and services, from its wines, to
its handicrafts, its livestock
breeding and its agricultural
machinery and vehicles.
Simultaneously, the diverse
line-up includes bull runs and
fights, music and sporting
events that light up the town
over four days.
OUTDOOR NATIVITY
Lasting from December until
the Day of Kings (The
Epiphany), Monsaraz recreates
a human scale nativity scene.
It’s a must-see.
ALENTEJO_TIME TO BE HAPPY
ALENTEJO_TIME TO BE HAPPY
exploring all of its nooks and
crannies such as the former
Casa do Juíz de Fora, with its
Manueline window and
gothic doorway. Further
ahead, there’s the large
cistern that used to supply
the town and the Buraco
Gate, the oldest entrance into
Monsaraz. Taking the Rua
Direita, you’ll come to the
pleasant D. Nuno Álvares
Pereira Square, around which
are a number of excellent
monuments, such as the
Church of Our Lady of the
Lake, the Pillory, the old
Audience Chambers – the
MONSARAZ
NAUTICAL
CENTRE
(TELHEIRO)
The perfect place
to pursue nautical
activities on the
Alqueva, it has an
anchorage for 12
tourist boats, a
picnic area, a
restaurant-bar and
a playground.
Fresco Museum, the
Misericórdia Church, the
Chapel of St. Joseph and the
former Town Hall / Casa
Monsaraz, another space
dedicated to culture, with its
interesting arcade.
It is also worth getting lost
down the narrow side streets,
admiring the walls of the
small gardens, the chimneys,
several manor houses, the
gothic doorways, the
flowerbeds and studying the
countless details which live in
memories of the tourists that
the town welcomes so
graciously.
Finally, in the southern
quarters, you should pay a
visit to the Castle and its
Keep, which grants you a
stunning view over the entire
region. When viewed from
afar at night, the town seems
to turn into a boat because of
the night lights against the
vast black skies. We are in the
heart of the Alqueva Dark Sky
Reserve, with night-time
programmes and activities
that add to Monsaraz’s
charm.
With the Alqueva’s beautiful
scenery surrounding it,
Reguengos de Monsaraz is a
pleasant, typically Alentejo
city and has been the seat of
the municipality since the
19th century. Ever since, its
surroundings have shaped its
history. The vineyards and
superb wines produced here
are a trademark of the area. In
the city centre, dominating
the Liberdade Square, the
Main Church of St. Anthony is
remarkable for its uniqueness
and is one of the most
interesting icons of neogothic architecture in
Portugal. A journey through
history and around the
heritage scattered around the
municipality, the megalithic
monuments are the first stop
on the list of places to visit.
municipality
reguengos
de monsaraz
hroughout the undulating
plain, discover the small
villages, the wineries that
produce the region’s excellent
wines and the many megalithic
monuments, especially
surrounding Monsaraz, nearby
Telheiro. São Pedro do Corval is
the largest pottery centre in
the country, and this traditional
craft remains firmly rooted in
the village’s way of life. The
Main Church of São Pedro
deserves a mention, as does
the Chapel of Our Lady of the
Rosary, several kilometres
away, and the 16th century
primitive chapel. Nearby, you’ll
also come across the intriguing
Lover’s Rock (Rocha dos
Namorados).
In the vicinity of the Alqueva,
the villages of Campinho, São
Marcos do Campo and
Telheiro, beautiful places from
which you can fully enjoy the
vast water mirror, deserve a
mention.
T
CONVENT OF OUR
LADY OF ORADA
On the foothills of
Monsaraz, by the
village of Telheiro,
this 12th century
building was built
to house the Order
of Hermits of St.
Augustine on the
spot where D. Nuno
Álvares Pereira
supposedly prayed
before going into
battle against
Castile. Today it
serves as the
headquarters for the
Orada Convent
Foundation for the
Protection and
Conservation of
Architectural
Heritage.
LOVER’S ROCK
(ROCHA DOS
NAMORADOS)
A natural outcrop,
standing over 2
metres tall, that
displays a number of
megalithic “dimple”
engravings.
The top of it is littered
with stones, an
evidence of the
ancient fertility ritual.
According to the
tradition, on Easter
Monday unwed
girls throw stones
onto the top of the
rock. Each missed
throw
represents
another year
until she’s wed.
XEREZ CROMLECH
A site with one
gigantic menhir,
approximately 4
metres tall, and
fifty smaller ones.
It was originally
located in a place
that has since been
submerged by the
Alqueva and
nowadays stands
by the Convent of
Orada.
GREAT LAKE
ALQUEVA
A vast expanse of
water, dotted with
islands and islets
that envelops a
large portion of the
municipality’s
lands. This fabulous
scenery is ideal for
boat rides and
nautical sports.
MENHIRS OF
OUTEIRO AND
BELHOA
The menhir of
Outeiro (pictured)
is one of the tallest
in the country and
one of the most
notable in Europe.
The menhir of
Belhoa stands by
the road linking
Telheiro to Outeiro,
and displays
engravings of sun
patterns.
Reguengos
de
Monsaraz
Tourist route for the municipality
TELHEIRO
FOUNTAIN
To the south of the
village, this spring
and fountain was
built between the
15th and the 18th
century. Its simple
blue and white
decorations and a
dome complete the
set.
SÃO PEDRO DO
CORVAL CHURCH
Built in 1810, it is
notable for its
monumental size
next to the small
village.
Inside, the stucco
details by Italian
masters and the
black and white
marble altarpiece of
the Blessed
Sacrament are
standout features.
INFORMATIONS
Municipal Council . www.cm-reguengos-monsaraz.pt
Tourist Office . Rua 1.º de Maio . +351 266 508 052
GPS: LAT 38.424569 | LON-7.535263
Turismo do Alentejo . www.visitalentejo.pt . + 351 284 313 540
Medieval Town of Monsaraz
CO-FINANCING
ALENTEJO_TIME TO BE HAPPY
ALENTEJO_TIME TO BE HAPPY
ALENTEJO_TIME TO BE HAPPY
must see
monsaraz
ited on a hill as if
standing guard over the
Guadiana River, with
surprising views over the
Alqueva plain, this is one of
the most emblematic towns
of the Alentejo. This ancient
seat of human occupation
was finally conquered from
the Moors in the 13th
century with the assistance
of the Knights Templar, who
were then charged with
defending and repopulating
it. The town grew gradually
in the following century with
the city walls and in the 17th
century new fortifications
were built here, making this
one of the strongholds of the
frontier.
There are a myriad of
reasons why this town that is
a true open-air museum is
one of the most-visited
towns in the Alentejo.
S
reguengos
de monsaraz
Reguengos de Monsaraz is a destination
famous for the excellent quality of its wines,
but it has so much more to offer. There’s an
interesting historic and cultural heritage
waiting to be discovered throughout the
entire municipality.
his region has an
invaluable historic and
archaeological legacy,
with its megalithic
monuments, churches and
the magnificent medieval
town of Monsaraz. It is also
a region with enduring
traditions that are worth
discovering, being home to
the country’s largest centre
for pottery production, in
São Pedro do Corval.
The good hunting and
fishing conditions, the
riverside villages of
T
HERITAGE
Wander down streets and alleys
discovering the marks of history
throughout the municipality.
POTTERY
Unique utilitarian
or decorative
pieces.
Campinho, São Marcos
do Campo and Telheiro
and the leisure and
sports activities at the
Alqueva reservoir and its
immediate environment
make this a must-see part
of the Alentejo.
CHAPEL OF SAINT
CATHERINE
Just outside
Monsaraz, this
13th century
chapel with castlelike architecture,
classified as a
National
Monument, was
probably built by
the Knights
Templar who
conquered the
CISTERN
Built sometime in
the 14th or 15th
century to supply
the town of
Monsaraz. Tradition
has it that a
Muslim mosque
used to stand here.
CHAPEL OF SAINT
JOHN THE
BAPTIST
Surrounded by the
ramparts of the
17th century
fortifications, this
is the oldest
monument in
Monsaraz, having
started out as a
funeral building or
small Muslim
sanctuary from the
Almohad dynasty
(11th -12th
century) that was
later Christianized.
The murals in the
cupola and on the
interior walls are
worth seeing.
town from the
Moors.
FRESCO
MUSEUM/ OLD
AUDIENCE
CHAMBERS
A 14th century
building with the
famous fresco of
the Good and Bad
Judge, an
allegorical painting
representing
earthly and divine
justice. Nowadays
this building
houses the Fresco
Museum and hosts
exhibitions relating
to the history of
the municipality.
CHURCH OF
SANTIAGO /ART
GALLERY
A 13th century
church standing on
a hill that was
rebuilt and
extended in the
18th century. Today
it has been turned
over to cultural
activities.
CITY GATE (PORTA
DA VILA)
This is the main
entrance to the town
and is protected by
two semi-cylindrical
turrets, one of which
is surmounted by the
clock bell tower
BURACO GATE
This is probably the
oldest gate in the
city walls. It
protected the
Town’s public
cistern, and so the
French engineers
who designed the
modern
fortification
ordered it to be
bricked up, and it
remained so until
the 1980’s.
CASTLE AND
FORTIFICATIONS
Built following the
conquest of the
town from the
Moors in the 13th
century. In the
following centuries
the construction of
the city walls
extended around
the growing town,
and, in the 12th
century, a new
defensive system
was built, giving
the present
configuration.
Its three-storey
Keep is one of the
best vantage
points from which
to view the
Alentejo.
CASA MONSARAZ
This 17th century
building used to be
the Town Hall for
the municipality,
before being turned
into a school and
then the Tourist
Office.
It is currently a
workshop where
the public can
watch various artists
working and where
the finished art
works are exhibited.
housing a bell inscribed
with the date 1692.
Above the pointed
arched gate is a plaque
commemorating
D. João IV’s dedication
of the kingdom to the
Immaculate
Conception in 1646.
ALCOBA GATE
This dressed stone
gateway in the
shape of a pointed
arch is nowadays
called Alcoba, but in
the 12th century
was known as the
“Porta Dalcoba”. It is
the south entrance
in Monsaraz’s city
walls.
CASA DA
INQUISIÇÃO
(HOUSE OF THE
INQUISITION)
This building with
17th century
characteristics is said
to have housed the
Courts of the Holy
Office for Évora.
Recently renovated,
it is used for cultural
purposes, and
various exhibitions
are held here
throughout the year.
MOTHER CURCH
OF OUR LADY OF
LAGOA
This church was
built in the 16th
century to
substitute the
original gothic
church that had
been contaminated
by the plague.
A board for
alquerque (qirkat)
is engraved on the
paving slabs of the
churchyard. This
game was brought
to Europe by the
Moors and is still
played in
Monsaraz.
ÉVORA GATE
This was the usual
entrance to the
town coming from
Telheiro, on the
Roman road from
Moura. It is a
typical example of
late 13th century
architecture with a
gothic arch
protected by a
cylindrical
defensive turret.
CHAPEL OF ST. JOSEPH
Founded in 1708, this original chapel was
built over a 15th century dwelling. Its main
function was to provide the sacraments to
prisoners in the district jail.
ALENTEJO_TIME TO BE HAPPY
SYMBOLS
WINE TOURISM
MUSEUM
MONUMENT
must see
reguengos
de monsaraz
CHURCH
THEME PARK
BELVEDERE
MEGALITHISM
NAUTICAL
SPORTS
PILLORY
This 18th century
pillory, a symbol of
the municipality’s
autonomy and
authority, was built
in white marble
from the region.
CHURCH OF THE
MISERICÓRIDA
In the 16th century
a church was
installed in this
former inn (12th
century) for
pilgrims en route
to the Marian
shrine at Terena.
Inside there is an
image of Christ
being taken down
from the cross.
he roots of the city of
Reguengos de Monsaraz
lie in the residential
nucleus that grew up in the
16th century around the
Santo António Square, the site
of an ancient chapel, in lands
administered by the House
of Braganza, which were
called reguengos, or lands of
the king. With the
growth that occurred
in the 18th and 19th
century, the
village of
Reguengos was
raised to the category of
town in 1840, becoming the
definitive seat of the
municipality in 1851,
over from Monsaraz, which
had been the seat of power
since the 13th century.
Reguengos de Monsaraz has
agriculture and grazing to
thank for its initial
development, with the main
driving force having been the
wine production at the end
of the 19th century.
T
BUST OF MANUEL
AUGUSTO
PAPANÇA
In the Liberdade
Square stands the
bust of this politician
who, in the 19th
century, fostered a
boom in the town’s
development,
encouraging the
wine industry that is
nowadays one of the
features of this
municipality.
CITY PARK
(PARQUE DA
CIDADE)
A green space with
a stylistic take on
the Guadiana River,
a bar-restaurant,
picnic area and
playground.
MAIN CHURCH
This is one of the
most interesting
examples of Neo
ESPORÃO TOWER
Built in the15th
century, this is
now the
headquarters of
Herdade do
Esporão, a wine
producer. The
ground floor has a
display of the
archaeological
finds from the
Perdigões
Archaeological Site
(located within the
Herdade) and on
the second floor
there’s a gallery
with the labels
created by various
renowned artists
for the bottles of
wine produced
here.
Gothic architecture
in the country.
Dedicated to Saint
Anthony,
construction on the
church began in
1887 and was
concluded in 1912.
It is noteworthy for
its monumental
character, with
huge flying
buttresses and a
tall bell tower in
the centre of the
façade.
In the broad,
whitewashed
interior there are
interesting
sculpture and
altarpiece in the
chapels.
CHAPEL
OF OUR LADY
OF REMEDIES
Located in the
vicinities of
Esporão Tower, it
dates back to the
medieval age,
13th-14th century.
Crowned with
merlons and
preceded by a
typical galilee,
inside, the main
chapel with mural
paintings is
remarkable.