Set upon a hill, Elvas
Portugal is practically totally emerged behind colossal defensive walls
from the 17th c., extending about 5 kilometres around. It has a privileged
position above the Alentejo plain being one of the first town when
entering Portugal from Spain. The country houses and their outbuildings,
clearly showing the unevenness of the Arab influenced urban lay out
with its unorderly curves and lines, not even being altered by the
military presence. Narrow and sinuous winding streets lead us in and
out of little squares where there is an abundance of majestic feudal
estates and villa. All these houses have an enclosed patio covered
with high mud walls and their palm trees peeking over the sides. Grand
stairways with stone or brick railings indicated even more closely
the different levels of Elvas.
How Elvas came to be
The history of Elvas, starting before the Roman occupation, did
not begin to become known until the expulsion of the Moors in 1226.
Since the attack carried out by the bishop of Evora, Dom Sueyro,
in the Republic Square between the walls and the arch of the Bishop,
this place has always been like the meeting grounds for any military
action between Spanish and Portuguese. Another anecdote for Elvas
was in 1801 when the Battle of the Oranges broke out; sarcasically
called like this because branches filled with this fruit were pulled
off the trees and sent by Minister Manuel Godoy to Maria Luisa, at
that time his lover, as a symbol that the French-Spanish expedition
has been defeated without blood by signing a peace pact.
Once inside Elvas
There are eleven
doors by which you can enter Elvas, all taking us to the Republic
Square where we can easily find great accomodation of hotels of
all kinds. In this square is the main cathedral called Our Lady
of the Assumption which was reconstructed on the same plot where
the cross of the Bishop Warrior stood. The cathedral gives you
the impression of a semi-fortress like building because of its
strict straight lines, with its buttresses and crowned with parapets
and battlements. A balcony on the second floor, with two large
windows and a central rose window, serving as a priveleged place
for the bishops to watch the bullfights. There ae many other cathedrals
worth visiting as well as a medieval castle and an Archaelogical
Museum. But if we were smart enough toget a car hire, we can ride
along the southwest side of Elvas to take in the Aqueduct of Amoreira,
a very important engineering piece of work still in use today.
It took over 120 years, from 1498 to 1622, lifted up on 7.5 metre
high archs which later come down to ground level and turn into
a canal waterway.
On to other cities
Just to the north,
also being a border town, you come on to Marvao, a small borough
taking refugee among the cliffs and rocks at the top of the “ Herminio Menor “, near a fortress raised
during the times of King Dinis. Its exterior walls literally hang
on the cliffs and serve as an excellent lookout point; first observing
Spain to the eats and the eagle nesta all around. Continuing on the
main road towards the Atlantic coast you come to Obidos. When getting
close to Obidos in your car hire, it is said to take on the shape
of a huge ship. As is typical in Portugal, Obidos is a beautiful
walled in city with magical hotels and villa serving you as rest
places after a long flight into the nearest airport like Lisbon or
a long days´ journey of tours. Just on step further takes
you to Peniche, right on the coast with easy access for a quick
drive down towards Sintra, a luxury paradise just outside Lisbon.
Wherever you decide to start your visit to Portugal, be it in the
north with Braga or Porto,
with a car hire coming in through Spain to Elvas, by flights
to Lisbon airport or maybe by ferry to Faro, all your wildest
dream will come true thanks to Portugal, especially Elvas.
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