Turism in Alverca, Portugal

1. 1
Alverca Castle Ruins
About the «Castle» little or nothing is known.
It is thought to have been a castro or a defensive wall erected by the Romans. It is possible that the Moors castled it
and served as a "manor house" in the Middle Ages. In any case, it is in the Christian reconquest that the structure that
came to be known as the «Castle» emerges. In 1755, the earthquake that devastated Lisbon had disastrous effects on
the collapsed «Castle», and today only a few remains of the walls are visible.
Pillory of Alverca
It dates from 1530 and symbolizes the municipal authority. In the pillory were condemned minor crimes, with flogging
or exposure to public shame. The Pillory of Alverca, for its plow, is a remarkable example of Manueline style. One face
of the Pillory shows a head in whose mouth appears the date of the monument -1530. At the top one can see the royal
shield of the donor, D. Manuel I, and on the opposite face the armillary sphere; the castle of Santarém, with three
towers, the village where the donation was made; and 4 heads representing the Tagus nymphs - the Tagus.

2. 2
Old Town House of Alverca
Little or nothing is known about its origin of this building.
What is known is that the building was ruined with the 1755 earthquake. However, even today, it is possible to
appreciate the coat of arms of Queen D. Mariana Victoria de Bourbon, wife of King D. José, in the center of the side
wall of the building.
In the Old House, the Women's School, the Post Office - Telegraph Postal, the jail, the GNR Post, the headquarters of
the Parish Council of Alverca and the Public Library of Alverca have already operated.
Currently, the first floor of this building houses the Alverca Museum Center, but is temporarily closed for restoration
and expansion.
Mother Church of St. Peter - Alverca
Located next to the Castle, the date of its foundation is unknown. What can be said is that it is very old and has been
rebuilt several times.
One thing is certain, it already existed in 1449, at the battle of Carob Tree. The body of D. Pedro, Duke of Coimbra,
was temporarily buried there.
The great earthquake of 1755 profoundly affected the Mother Church, with only the facade, the sacristy and the
baptistery standing, where baptisms continued.

3. 3
Chapel of St. Clement - Arcena
It is located in Arcena, a small town near Alverca do Ribatejo, and was built at the end of the 16th century, to be
venerated there the «Holy Image of S. Clemente», found by popular, in the site of Mato Sapinho. In addition to the
image of St. Clement, the chapel has beautiful 17th or 18th century tiles in the chancel, a 16th century holy water font,
as well as several funerary tombstones.
Obelisks
They are located on National Road 10, between Alverca and Forte da Casa, near the old gates of Lisbon. The Obelisks,
on either side of the road, commemorate the construction of the new "Royal Road" from the Incarnation.
They were built by Queen D. Maria I in 1782.

4. 4
Landmark of the League
The Landmark of Légua, was located at the site of Cruz das Almas, in Alverca, and marked the distance to Lisbon
(Carriche) by the old «royal road». Milestones in addition to indicating distances had another function: indicating solar
time. They were sundials. In 1985, an ostentatious road accident dismantled it and the Parish Council removed it. The
upper part of the monument can still be seen in the green area of Largo do Mercado.
Bibliography
Junta de Freguesia de Alverca do Ribatejo e Sobralinho (2019). Disponível em
https://www.jf-alvercasobralinho.pt/freguesia/patrimonio . Acedido em 24 novembro 2019
Work made by 3º2ª - EB 1 de Arcena
Translation by School library