Topped by an imposing cathedral, Évora is laid out over a gently sloping hill rising out of the huge Alentejo plain. It guards its historic centre with a vast outer wall and represents a valuable cultural legacy that UNESCO has classified World Heritage. The city, with its narrow streets of Moorish origin contrasting with squares where the light floods in, holds two millennia of hsitory. Conquered in 59 B.C. by the Romans, they named it "Liberalitas Julia". In this period, Évora gained great importance as can be witnessed from the remains of that time Wander its streets and absorb the secret soul that a diverse range of cultural influences has laid down in this city of the World. There are also excellent restaurants and bars, esplanades, arts and handicraft stores and the youthful nature of those attending its university all adding up to a dynamic of the present with its roots very firmly in the past.

Archaeology The Roman Temple, over 2000 years old, is the ex-libris monument of Évora and is one of the most important historic ruins in the country. The Roman temple in Évora was built in the first century, during the time of Caesar Augustus. It has a long history, serving as testimony to many transformations and different uses over the centuries. It was practically destroyed when the Barbarians occupied the Iberian peninsular in the fifth century, and served as a bank vault and butcher’s to Evora castle in the 14th century. Its original Roman design was only recovered in the 19th century, in one of the first archaeological interventions in Portugal. It is a testimony to the Roman forum of the city of Évora, consecrated to the Imperial cult, thus clarifying a 17th-century tradition that claimed that the temple had been consecrated to the goddess Diana. For this reason, it was identified for many years as the Temple of Diana.

From Évora's Cathedral to Largo das Portas de Moura Other Turning the apse of the Sé, head down the Freiria de Cima street looking for the porches and twinned windows that ornament some of the houses. Continuing along the streets of Cenáculo and Freiria de Baixo, you come across S. Manços street where there is the House of Garcia de Resende (who was royal secretary, poet and writer). The house boasts three beautiful twinned Manueline windows decorated with small columns and Moorish style points. Further along, in the Portas de Moura square, in addition to the Mudéjar - Manueline veranda of the Cordovil house, the beautiful renaissance fountain draws all eyes. The interesting angle of the Sé can be particularly effectively discerned from this spot. Close by there is the former University of the Holy Spirit founded in 1559 by Cardinal Henrique for the College of the Company of Jesus.

Bones Chapel in Evora – History The chapel was built in the 17th century on the initiative of three Franciscan friars. Their goal: to convey the message of temporariness and fragility of human life. This message clearly comes across to visitors of Bones Chapel right at its entrance through the sign “We bones that are here, for yours we wait”. In fact, it shows Baroque’s men macabre taste for necrophilia.

Igreja de São Francisco / Capela dos Ossos - Évora Monuments Church of São Francisco - Évora One of the striking features of the façade is a church porch with arches of different styles - a typical example of the "marriage" between Gothic and Moorish style found in so many monuments of this region in Portugal. Over the Manueline doorway we can see the emblems of the kings that commissioned its construction - D. João II and D. Manuel I - whose emblems were the pelican and armillary sphere respectively.

Igreja dos Lóios - Évora Monuments Church of Lóios - Évora The Church of Lóios was built in the 15th century, in Gothic-Manueline style, although the façade now includes alterations introduced in the 18th century. It has been listed as a National Monument. Inside, it's well worth seeing the azulejo tile panels depicting episodes from the life of São Lourenço Justiniano. With great expressive and stylistic quality, they were painted in 1711 by the Lisbon-based artist, António de Oliveira Bernardes.

Universidade de Évora Monuments The creation of the University of Évora dates back to the sixteenth century when the Cardinal D. Henrique, 1st Archbishop of Évora, with the consent of King João III, ordered the construction of a building to house the community of Jesuit seminarians. In 1553 the facilities were extended, having been erected the Cloister of the 'Botica' (Pharmacy), from which originated the College of the Espírito Santo (Holy Spirit), administered by the Company of Jesus. The first class was taught on August 28, 1553. Six years later, on April 15, 1559, the second university in Portugal was created, through the Papal Bull Cum a Nobis, issued by Pope Paul IV. The first solemn opening of the academic year took place on the Day of All Saints on November 1, 1559.