| ALTER
DO CHÃO |
Alter do Chão is a small place of Roman origin situated
in the heart of the Alto Alentejo region, 13 km south of Crato.
Founded Elteri in 204 BC, the town was razed under the Emperor
Hadrian after the inhabitants were accused of disloyalty, eventually
being re-established in the 13th century.
Evidence of its prosperity during the textile years of the 16th
century can be seen in the form of an attractive Renaissance
marble fountain and an array of handsome town houses.
What to see. Built in 1359 by King Pedro I,
lover of the ill-fated Inês de Castro, the town’s
dominating five-towered castle features Gothic porticoes, crenellated
walls, cubic turrets and a 44-metre-high keep.
Prominently situated in the main Praça da República
square, elegant columns hold up the cupola of the striking white
marble fountain dated 1556.
Housing the tourist office, the elegant 18th century Palácio
do Álamo also serves as an art gallery and library.
Nearby. Located 4 km northwest of Alter do
Chão lies Coudelaria de Alter, a 300-hectare stud farm
founded in 1748 by King João V of the House of Bragança.
Yearning for a quality Portuguese horse, he imported a stock
of mares from Andulasia, from which the Alter Real is bred.
Spanning the River Seda, the Roman bridge of Vila Formosa is
a robust six-arched construction situated 12 km to the west.
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
