district d'Évora

Megalithic Wonders of Évora

The Évora District contains the highest concentration of megalithic monuments in the Iberian Peninsula, dating primarily from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. This collection includes the Menir dos Almendres, a four-meter-tall monolith, and the Great Dolmen of Zambujeiro, one of the largest funerary chambers ever discovered. Notable architectural adaptations include the Anta-Capela de Pavia, a 4th-millennium BC dolmen converted into a Christian chapel. These granite structures provide insight into prehistoric rituals, astronomical alignments, and early funerary practices in the Alentejo region.

Megalithic Wonders of Évora — Carte

Tagido / Public domain

A

Menir dos Almendres

A four-meter-tall granite monolith featuring a carved shepherd's crook at the top. This Neolithic menhir aligns with the sunrise on the Winter Solstice when viewed from the nearby Almendres Cromlech.

Public domain

B

Great Dolmen of Zambujeiro

Great Dolmen of Zambujeiro is a megalithic monument located in Nossa Senhora da Tourega, near Valverde, in the municipality of Évora,…

C

Cromeleque do Monte das Fontaínhas Velhas

A small Neolithic stone circle located near Mora, consisting of several granite monoliths arranged in an elliptical formation.

Alvaro Azevedo Moura / CC0

D

Anta-Capela de Pavia

A prehistoric dolmen converted into a Christian chapel dedicated to Saint Dionysius in the 17th century. It is a significant example of a megalithic monument repurposed for modern religious use.

Vitor Oliveira / CC BY-SA 2.0

E

Menhir of Outeiro

The Menhir of Outeiro, also known as the Penedo Comprido is a megalith located midway between the villages of Outeiro and Barrada near the…

F

Great Dolmen of Herdade da Comenda

The Great Dolmen of Comenda da Igreja is a megalithic funerary site in the civil parish of Nossa Senhora do Bispo, in the municipality of…

G

Cromeleque de Portela de Mogos

A Neolithic stone circle comprising approximately 40 granite monoliths. The site is characterized by its horseshoe arrangement and several stones featuring faint solar and lunar engravings.

Roundtheworld / CC BY-SA 4.0

H

Menir da Abelhoa

A four-meter-tall granite menhir decorated with Neolithic carvings, including sun motifs and zig-zags. It was restored to its upright position in the 1970s.

Joaquim Pereira / CC BY-SA 4.0

I

Rocha dos Namorados

The Rocha dos Namorados is a large upright granite stone located in the parish of Corval, municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz, in the…

J

Cromeleque do Vale de Maria do Meio

A megalithic enclosure consisting of 34 granite stones. The site dates back to the 5th and 4th millennia BC and shows evidence of two distinct construction phases.

Ayoo / CC-BY-SA

K

Anta do Pão Mole

A megalithic burial chamber, or dolmen, featuring a large capstone and several supporting upright stones located near Reguengos de Monsaraz.

L

Menir do Barrocal

One of the largest menhirs in the region, standing approximately 5.6 meters tall. The granite monolith dates to the Neolithic period and is located near the village of Monsaraz.