At
the top of the hill, the castle ramparts, a symbol
of the long struggle between Christians and Moors.
A cascade of white houses that almost tumble down the
hillside towards the river.
Archaeological site confirm
man's presence in the area since prehistoric times,
most notably for a period around 4,000 B.C., the
so-called "Mirense" period, and during the Bronze
Age. The Romans too have left traces of their culture.
Moorish rule lasted for six centuries and ended with the Christian reconquest
of Aljezur (in around 1250). The Town received its first charter during
the reign of King Dinis in 1280.
For hundreds of years agriculture was theregion's main economic activity
and its produce was at one stage shipped to market via port on the Aljezur
creek. When silting made the creek impracticable, the road running sown
from the north to Lagos was used.
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The 1755 earthquake caused a
great deal of damage to the town and led to the
construction of a new settlement across from Aljezur,
called Igreja Nova. This was built at the initiative
of Francisco Gomes de Avelar, bishop of the Algarve
as a means of encouraging the population not to
leave the town and move elsewhere.
Aljezur, after remaining largely untouched by the 19th and early 20th
centuries, is now sharing in the social and economic renewal of the
Algarve.
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Erected on a hill overlooking the creek that has been inhabited by man
since the Iron Age, the castle served to control the river port that
provided a link with the sea and to defend the population from enemy
attack. It was built during the period of Arab rule during the 10th
century and it consists of a broad courtyard surrounded by high ramparts
reinforced by two towers, one round and the other square. It was badly
damaged by the 1755 Earthquake. Inside there is a cube shaped cistern
covered by vault. Its walls afford panoramic views of the surrounding
countryside.
The pillory, where criminals were exposed to public scorn, has been rebuilt
from 16th century remains.
This Church was rebuilt in the 16th century and then again after the
earthquake in 1755. It has recently undergone extensive restoration work
inside and out. The main doorway is in the Renaissance style. It has
a plain interior, with interesting flags and a fraternity table.
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Built at the end of the 18th century, this church served as at the nucleus
of the Igreja Nova quarter. Its interior is composed of three naves,
with an imposing main altar, It boasts a fine statue of Nossa Senhora
da Alva - Our Lady of Daybreak - 18th century flanked by two 17th century
statues, probably taken from the former main church destroyed in 1755.
The side chapels contain 17th/18th century retables taken from the former
monastery of Nossa Senhora do Desterro - Our Lady of the Exhile, in Monchique.
There is a baptismal font in the Manueline style - 16th Century. In the
sacristy are crucifixes dating from the 18th/ 19th Century ostensorium.
Canvasses and drawings by the painter José Cercas, who was born
in Aljezur, and other Portuguese artists, furniture, religious art and
porcelain, are exhibited here. The small museum garden has an excellent
view of the castle, the plain and the town.
Sited in the building that was once home to the town council, this museum
contains archaeological finds that trace the history of human settlement
in Aljezur municipality from 7.000 B.C. to the Bronze Age and the Moorish
occupation. Adjoining the museum is the Aljezur Municipal Gallery with
host's temporary art Exhibitions.
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Bordeira is a village
surrounded by hills and farmlands. Some of the streets
retain the charm of houses in the traditional style
and there are ruins of an old country manor house.
The main church, which dates back to the 18th century,
is worth a visit to see the triumphal arch and the
retable in the main altar with the statues of Nossa
Senhora da Encarnação - Our Lady of the
Incarnation dating back the 18th century, São
Francisco - St Francis, Santo António - St Anthony
and São Luís - St Louis from the 17th
century and a São Sebastião - St Sebastian
from the 16th century. There are also side retables
and a collection of holy treasures. In the former cemetery
that adjoins the church stands a Manueline gateway
of unknown provenance.
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Angling and Surfing
is a typical sport in Aljezur.
Along the coast of Aljezur is a paradise for anglers who dream of landing bigfish.
The waters team with sea bass, dory, conger, eels, snook, sea bream and many
other species of fish, all waiting to provide subject matter for tall tales
told at nightfall, among friends over a glass or more of local wine.
The perfectly formed waves that break off Aljezur´s beaches are among
the best in Europe and ideal for surfers and body boarders alike.
Rogil is a picturesque village. Perched on the top of a hill the Arregata windmill
shows how for centuries the wind was harnessed to mill cereals.
The Algarve's pleasant climate is well suited to the cultivation of exotic species,
as demonstrated by the tasty peanuts dug from the fields at Rogil and other villages
in Aljezur.for the delectation of peanut-lovers everywhere!
From a distance Odeceixe is a charming jumble of houses scattered
over hills with the sea in the background. On one of its streets is
a curious Cellar-Museum, which reconstructs the atmosphere of a traditional
winery and cellar. The main church has some fine 17th century statues
and there is an interesting seven-sided font in Manueline style.
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The only monuments
in this village perched high above the sea are a defensive
fortress built to ward off raiding corsairs (17th century)
and a hermitage dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Conceição
- Our Lady of conception. In the church, which has
Manueline doorways, there are 17th and 18th century
statues as well as a coved retable on the main altar.
The baptismal fount is in the Manueline style from
the 16rth century.
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