Attractions and Places To See around São Cristóvão - Top 20

Housed in the old church of St. Tiago (18th and 14th centuries) within the castle, the castle's interpretation center presents aspects of Montemor's history since ancient times in a permanent exhibition. The wall paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries are also worth seeing.

This church is an example of the Manueline architectural style, a Portuguese late Gothic style characterized by intricate and elaborate designs. Unfortunately, few Manueline elements remain.

Montemor-o-Novo Castle is located in the parish of Nossa Senhora da Vila, in the municipality of Montemor-o-Novo, in the district of Évora, in Alentejo, Portugal. In a dominant position on the highest hill in the region, the castle originally sheltered the village within its walls, which, as it developed, expanded along the slope to the north. Historical documents confirm that Vasco da Gama finalized his plans for his voyage to India in this castle. Background The earliest human occupation of this site possibly dates back to a prehistoric Romanized fort, according to the abundant archaeological evidence in the region. This was where the Roman roads from Santarém and the mouth of the River Tagus met, continuing via Évora to Mérida. The site would have been fortified for this reason. Centuries later, during the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, the name Almançor remained in the region, in the toponymy of the Almansor river. Some authors claim that there was also a Muslim fortification here. The medieval castle During the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the town was conquered by Portuguese forces under the command of D. Sancho I (1185-1211). With a view to repopulating and defending it, the sovereign granted it a Charter in 1203. It is believed that the construction of the medieval castle began at this stage. During the reign of D. Dinis (1279-1325), major reforms were undertaken to the town's defences, including the construction of the town's fence, which was completed in 1365. Once the Avis dynasty was established, the domain of Montemor-o-Novo became a third part of the lordship of Constable D. Nuno Álvares Pereira. Throughout the 15th century, the castle underwent renovation work, carried out by master stonemason Afonso Mendes de Oliveira. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the town reached its greatest prosperity, due not only to regional trade, but also to the fact that the Court remained for long periods in Évora, which made the town the scene of events such as the Cortes of 1495, when King Manuel I (1495-1521) decided to discover the sea route to India. This sovereign granted the town a new charter in 1503. Later, under the reign of King Sebastian (1557-1578), it was granted the title of Notable Town (1563), considering it to be an ancient place with a large population.

Symbol of Montemor-o-Novo

The Clock Tower is currently the symbol of the city of Montemor-o-Novo. Built during the reign of King Dinis (13th – 14th centuries), it became the castle’s main defence tower. It underwent major renovations in the 16th century, when the Guard House was incorporated and a bell tower was installed to hold the clock bells. The clock had three bronze bells: one for the hours, another for the half-hours and the last for the quarter-hours. The main access door to the castle is located under the Clock Tower. It is called the town or Santarém gate. Classification: MN – National Monument, Decree no. 38 147, DG, 1st series, no. 4 of 5 January 1951 *1 / ZEP / “Non-built” zone, DG, 2nd series, no. 177 of 28 July 1962

The Chapel of São Tiago is currently the Interpretation Centre of the Castle of Montemor-o-Novo and can be visited except on Mondays... Visits on Sundays are free.

Religious site with panoramic views over Montemor-o-Novo. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Visitation is a 16th century chapel in the Manueline-Mudejar style. It is believed that the chapel was built in 1516, following the institution of the cult of Our Lady of the Visitation, included in the Ordinances of D. Manuel I. There are several documents referring to the feast of Our Lady of the Visitation in both 1530 and 1543. There is even a note of payment in the amount of 640 reais to the revelers of the procession, issued by the city council. In the 17th century, the Confraternity of the Slaves of Our Lady of the Visitation was established.

Montemor-o-Novo Castle is the original site of the medieval town of Montemor-o-Novo. This castle was conquered from the Moors by order of D. Afonso Henriques, and its current walls were built during the reign of D. Dinis. It was gradually abandoned by the population from the 15th century onwards, and today it preserves important testimonies of the medieval and modern history of Montemor-o-Novo, such as sections of the wall, the Paço dos Alcaides, the Church of Santiago (currently the Castle Interpretation Centre), the Church of Santa Maria do Bispo, the Clock Tower, the Porta da Vila, the Porta do Anjo, the Torre da Má Hora and the Convento da Saudação. (Source: https://www.feriasemportugam.com)