| BEJA |
Rising like a pyramid above the vast plains of surrounding wheat
fields, Beja stands proud as the capital of the Baixo (Lower)
Alentejo region.
Founded by Julius Caesar, it was known in Roman times as Pax
Julia until the Moorish invasion in AD 711, when it grew into
an important cultural centre.
Beja is most famous for the Letters of a Portuguese Nun, supposedly
written by Sister Mariana Alcoforado of the Convento da Nossa
Senhora da Conceição during her love affair with
a French military officer in the 17th century.
Housing the regional museum, the former Convento de Nossa Senhora
da Conceição is where Sister Mariana lived until
her death in 1723, sixty years after her lover rode away. The
cloister is filled with stone remains of Roman, Moorish and
medieval civilisation, while the nuns’ Chapter House contains
some of the finest examples of Sevillian Moorish azulejo tiles
in the country.
Built in the early 14th century, Beja Castle affords panoramic
views from its 40-metre-high keep.
The 16th century Church of São Tiago beside the castle
is notable for its striking interior, while also near the castle
stands the Latin-Visigothic Church of Santo Amaro, one of just
four pre-Romanesque churches in Portugal.
Nearby. Situated at Almocreva, 10 km southwest
of Beja, lies the Villa of Pisões, a place of Roman agricultural
activity. Discovered in the 1960s, the partly excavated site
dates from the 1st century AD and includes a group of houses
with forty rooms, extensive floor mosaics, a spa area and sections
of richly decorated walls. |
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
