Sights:
- Castle:The Castle was built during the Arab occupation: at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Castle, there is still a stone belonging to the primitive construction.
- Mother Church: Built in the 15th century and also known as St. Salvador Church, it is an important element of the city´s patrimony. Although it has only one nave, it is one of the largest Portuguese churches in its style. The walls are about 6,5 ft thick and hold a plain vault. In front of the main altar, the image of St. Salvador, made with 17th-century tiles, is a valuable ornamental element.
- Miserichord Church: A fine 18th-century building with significant Renaissance characteristics. Although not of great dimension, the main façade has a staircase shaped like a rectangular pyramid, and the entrance portico is surmounted by a triangular ornament supported by two lateral columns. This church has a great symbolic value for having been a place of religious assistance to the sick; the beautiful image of Our Lady of Pain, on the chapel´s altar, is a proof of this.The religious cerimonies of the Holy Week were also celebrated here.
- Ervidel: is a small and typical village of the Alentejo. Situated near the Roxo dam, it offers excellent conditions to practice water sports and fishing and is often visited because of these facilities. Ervidel has a long wine-growing tradition and produces a fine local wine which is excellent to enhance the local gastronomy, with abundant recipes based on pork.
- Mines: The most ancient mines are those of São João do Deserto and of Algares, and the most recent are the mines of Feitais and of Moinho. A visit to this mining area gives a clear picture of this type of industry, so important to the economic history of the Town; heroism and solidarity always characterized the mining population of Aljustrel.
- The recent Etnographic Museum, which portrays the ways and habits of the Alentejo population through the traditional agricultural implements, brought another interest to the village. Ervidel
- Messejana: At about 6 miles from Aljustrel, Messejana was inhabited since the Arab occupation, when it acquired its name. It was taken from the Moors by king Sancho II, who built the castle, now in ruins. The Church of Our Blessed Lady, also known as the church of Entre Vinhas (Between Vineyards), from the 18th century, exhibits characteristics of the so-called «Brazilian churches»: it was built by Portuguese emigrants which brought back traces of the New World when they returned to their home town. It is also worth admiring the chapels of St. Sebastian, of St. Peter and of St. Brás, the Convent of St. Francis and the Manueline pillory. Fine mansions with 18th-century roofs can be seen in Messejana, and the population works mainly in agriculture and manufacturing furniture in oak.
History:
The mines were already explored in the 1st century BC by the Romans, who named the town Vipasca.More Info (Portuguese)
Alentejo > Travel guide > Beja > Aljustrel
