Gothic St. Mary´s cathedral completed in the 13th century, Évora. Portugal
Evora is a charming city that is situated in the heart of the arid Alentejo region of central Portugal. Historically, Evora was a significant centre for both trade and religion, which resonates through the sheer variety of tourist sites. Most of which are all conveniently contained within the city’s ancient walls. Evora has an abundance of Portuguese national monuments and is home to the second largest collection, after Lisbon. These range significantly, and together provide tourists with an absorbing cultural experience. Highlights include; an impressive Roman Temple, majestic cathedral, intriguing prehistoric standing stones and the macabre Chapel of Bones, amongst many others. The city’s quaint, cobbled streets, lined with traditional painted houses, are a delight to explore and have remained unpreserved through the generations. Evora should not be mistaken as a sleepy old relic that is reliant upon its glorious past. The city is young and vibrant, with a large student population who attend one of the world’s oldest universities. Évora was definitively reconquered from Arab hands in 1166 by Geraldo Sem Pavor (Gerald the Fearless), and soon afterwards the new Christian rulers of the city began to build a cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This first building, built between 1184 and 1204, was very modest and was enlarged circa 1280-1340, this time in early Gothic style. The cathedral received several valuable additions through time, such as the Gothic cloisters (14th century), the Manueline chapel of the Esporão (early 16th century) and a new, magnificent main chapel in baroque style (first half of the 18th century). It is the largest of the mediaeval cathedrals in Portugal, and one of its best examples of Gothic architecture. It is common belief that flags of the fleet of Vasco da Gama on his first expedition to the Orient, were blessed in the first presbytery of the cathedral in 1497.
Size: 5760px × 3840px
Location: Evora, Alentejo Southern Portugal, Portugal, Europe, EU
Photo credit: © Thibaut PETIT-BARA / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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