Évora - Alentejo, Portugal
Posted by: razalas
N 38° 34.371 W 007° 54.450
29S E 595168 N 4269942
Évora is a Portuguese city in the municipality of Évora. As of 2004, it had 41159 inhabitants.
Waymark Code: WMAX4A
Location: Évora, Portugal
Date Posted: 03/06/2011
Views: 23
Due to its well-preserved old town centre, still partially enclosed by medieval walls, and a large number of monuments dating from various historical periods, including a Roman Temple, Évora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Roman Temple is the best known monument in the city,Although is often called Temple of Diana, any association with the Roman goddess of hunt stems not from archaeology but from a legend created in the 17th century by a Portuguese priest. In reality, the temple was probably built in honour of Emperor Augustus, who was venerated as a god during and after his rule. The temple was built in the 1st century AD in the main public square (forum) of Évora - then called Liberatias Iulia – and modified in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Évora was invaded by Germanic peoples in the 5th century, and at this time the temple was destroyed. Nowadays its ruins are the only built vestiges of the Roman forum, in an open square fronted by the cathedral and the bishop's palace.
The ruins of the temple were incorporated into a tower of the Évora Castle during the Middle Ages. The base, columns and architraves of the temple were kept embedded in the walls of the medieval building; the temple-turned-tower was used as a butcher shop from the 14th century until 1836. This new use of the temple structure helped preserve its remains from further destruction. Finally, after 1871, the medieval additions were removed. Restoration work was directed by Italian architect Giuseppe Cinatti.
Name of Source Book: 1000 Places to See Before You Die
Page Location in Source Book: 250-251
Type of Waymark: City
Location of Coordinates: Photographed site
Cost of Admission (Parks, Museums, etc.): 0.00 (listed in local currency)
List Available Hours, Dates, Season: 24/7
Official Tourism Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
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