1. The area of Évora
| Starting Point | Cromeleque dos Almendres, Guadalupe |
| Coordinates of starting point | 38° 33.457' N 8° 03.690' W |
| Arrival Point | Megalithica Ébora, Évora |
| Distance | 29 km |
Around 5,500 years BC the first European man-made monuments were erected around the region of Évora, by the very first generations of farmers and shepherds that, after abandoning a hunter-gatherer way of life, settled and thrived in this region. The number, diversity and even the sheer size of the megalithic monuments in this region are unrivalled in the Iberian context and Évora is recognized today as one of the richest megalithic regions in all of Atlantic Europe. There are currently some three thousand identified archaeological sites in the municipality of Évora. Nearly a thousand of those sites are either megalithic monuments or the settlements of their Neolithic constructors.
Cromeleque dos Almendres: this megalithic complex, located near Guadalupe, is the largest existing group of structured menhirs in the Iberian Peninsula, and one of the largest in Europe. The construction of these structures date back to the 6th millennium BC, though they were only rediscovered in 1966 by Henrique Leonor Pina, who was proceeding with field work relating to the country's geological charts. The excavation of the site unearthed a series of construction phases: Almendres I 6000 BC (Early Neolithic), Almendres II 5000 BC (Middle Neolithic), Almendres III 4000 BC (Late Neolithic). The complex, organized in a circular pattern, is marked by a forest of about 95 granite monoliths, deposited in small agglomerations. The older (Early Neolithic) are designated by two or three concentric circles of smaller monoliths in the western part of the complex, while the mid (Middle Neolithic) structures consist of two ellipses (irregular but concentric) and large menhirs. In the Late Neolithic phase both structures suffered modifications, transforming into a site for social or religious rituals. It is believed that the monument had a religious/ceremonial purpose, or functioned as a primitive astronomical observatory.
Menhir dos Almendres: it is a 4 meters high oval-shaped standing stone dating from 5000-4000 BC. It has a shepherd’s crosier engraved in shallow relief on the upper part of the side facing west. It is aligned with the nearby Cromeleque dos Almendres roughly towards the sunrise on the winter solstice. Local legend has it that the menhir is the tomb of an enchanted Moorish princess, who can be seen combing her hair on the eve of São João (24 de Junho).
Anta Grande do Zambujeiro: this is probably the largest burial chamber (dolmen) in the Iberian Peninsula. It is now covered with a corrugated tin roof, which spoils the view, but protects the monument. Research has dated the structure to between 4000-3000 BC. It consists of a single-chamber and a rectangular corridor. Large 8-meter high slabs of rock cover the funerary chamber, while smaller 2-meter high slabs form the access corridor. The principal face, orientated towards the east, is constituted by the projection of the corridor over the chamber face. The remaining façades are obstructed by the observation mound, which still covers almost the entire structure except for the eastern side. The entrance was marked by a large menhir, decorated with dimples, which is now lying on the ground.
Alto de São Bento: Alto de S.Bento is a large natural viewpoint over the city of Évora. Evidence of a pre-historic village has been collected, whose oldest phase dates at the beginning of the Neolithic period (about 7000 years ago). It is considered a true “megalithic” village (inhabited by the constructors of the dolmens and menhirs of the area), the earliest origin of Évora, located near large granite outcrops, which have been reduced over the time due to quarrying.
Megalithica Ébora: a small but interesting museum located in the Convento dos Remédios in Évora, it displays reconstructions of the life during the Neolithic age and some interesting information about the megalithic monuments of the area. Entrance free. Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday: 09:30 – 12:30 / 14:00 – 18:00. Closed: Sunday, Monday and holidays.