Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Palace of the Dukes of Cadaval)
Just northwest of the Igreja de São João is the 17th-century
facade of a much older palace and castle, as revealed by the two powerful square towers
that bracket it. The Palácio dos Duques de Cadaval was given to Martim Afonso de Melo,
the governor of Évora, by Dom João I, and it also served from time to time as a royal res-
idence. A section of the palace is still in use as the private quarters of the de Melo family;
the other main occupant is the city's highway department.
Town Walls
About one-fifth of Évora's residents live within the town's old walls, some of which are
built on top of 1st-century Roman fortifications. Over 3km of 14th-century walls enclose
the northern part of the old town, while the bulwarks along the southern side, such as
those running through the
jardim público
(public gardens), date from the 17th century.
HISTORIC SITE
Largo da Porta de Moura
The Moura Gate Sq stands just southeast of the cathedral. Near here was the original en-
trance to town. In the middle of the square is a strange-looking, globular 16th-century
Renaissance
fountain
. Among the elegant mansions around the square is
Casa Cordovil
have a look across the road to the west at the extraordinary knotted Manueline stone door-
PLAZA
Jardim Público
For a lovely tranquil stroll, head to the light-dappled public gardens (with a small outdoor
cafe) south of the Igreja de São Francisco . Inside the walls of the 15th-century
Palácio de
Gallery)
, an indecisive hybrid of Gothic, Manueline, neo-Moorish and Renaissance styles.
It's open when there are (frequent) temporary art exhibitions.
From the town walls you can see, a few blocks to the southeast, the crenellated, pointy-
topped Arabian Gothic profile of the
Ermida de São Brás
(Chapel of St Blaise), dating from
about 1490. It's possibly an early project of Diogo de Boitaca, considered the originator of
the Manueline style.
GARDENS
