Tourism Alcoutim
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History | Places of Interest | The City | Handicrafts | Lodging Algarve

The blue river framed by cool greens of the riverside vegetation, of fertile orchards and gardens. The dark ochre of the hills, flecked with colour by cistus plants, holm, oak and the occasional olive tree. Houses with walls of schist or baked mud white with the dazzle of lime, huddled together in hamlets lost among the hills. Such contrasts are to be found in the Alcoutim municipality.

History

Menhirs and dolmens testify to a human presence at the end of the Neolithic and beginning of the Chalcolithic (approximately 4000 BC), in the context of the megalithic culture that covered the whole of what is now Portugal. It was the deposits of copper, iron and manganese however that attracted men from about 2500 BC until the time of the Roman occupation and a number of mines were established. The ores dug from them were smelted locally, then shipped down the Guadiana river to the Mediterranean and from there to the four corners of the Empire. Human occupation continued under the rule first of the Visigoths and then the Moors (5th-13th centuries), often on the same sites, giving rise, after the Christian reconquest, to some of the settlements still to be found in Alcoutim municipality. Alcoutim's origins are presumably linked to the fact that it is situated at the place where the Guadiana becomes tidal. The vessels that plied the trade in metals and other wares were obliged to wait at this spot for hours, until conditions allowed there to sail down the river. Consequently there was a need for structures to support and defend them. Conquered during the reign of King Sancho II, in 1240, the town of Alcoutim was not repopulated until that of King Dinis, who granted it a charter in 1304 and, in view of its strategic position in relation to the neighbouring kingdom of Castile, granted it to the Military Order of Sant'Iago (St. James). At the time of the wars between Portugal and Castile in the 14th century, a peace treaty between kings Fernando I and Henrique was signed in the middle of the river, opposite Alcoutim. There followed centuries of peace, interrupted only by the War of the Restoration (1640-1668) and, in the first half of the 19th century, by the struggle between liberals and defenders of the absolutist monarchy, when the fearless guerrilla leader Remexido hid with his forces in the hills of Alcoutim and the surrounding region. The decline of the mining industry, the difficulty of raising crops on the area's poor soils, the town's distance, from the coast and the Guadiana river's diminishing importance as a transport route all led to a lengthy period of economic stagnation for Alcoutim and its municipality that has only gradually been reversed in recent decades.

Places of Interest

Pereiro Archaeological finds from the Roman period bear witness to the distant origins of this settlement. Many of the houses still retain the architecture typical of the Algarve uplands. Main church - Modest in appearance, this church dates back to the 16th century. It houses an interesting collection of painted retables and some fine statues. Giões Spread over a gentle hill, the architecture of Giões houses displays the influence of the nearby Centejo. Main church - The main church is 16th century. It has a renaissance porch of great simplicity. The interior is composed of three naves, with columns topped with Doric capitals. Its main chapel has a neo-classical carved retable and its ceiling is decorated with paintings from the 18th century. There are 16th century retables in the side chapels. Among the numerous fine pieces of statuary, those of Nossa Senhora do Rosário (Our Lady of the Rosary), Nossa Senhora da Assunção (Our Lady of the Assumption) and Apóstolo São Pedro (St. Peter the Apostle) merit particular mention along with those of São Domingos (St. Dominic) and Nossa Senhora das Reliquias (Our Lady of the Relics), which came originally from former hermitages. Near Giões stand the ruins of the former medieval hermitage of São Domingos (St. Dominic). The Hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira (Our Lady of the Olive Tree) in Clarines is worth a visit. Dating from the end of the Middle Ages, it is associated with a tradition of appearances by the Virgin in an olive tree which, for that reason, was believed to have curative powers.

Martinlongo It is not known when Martinlongo was founded, though it was already inhabited at the time of the Roman occupation. It expanded rapidly from the 16th to 18th centuries, and outgrew the town of Alcoutim, a development not unrelated to the presence of a woollen goods industry and the fact that many of its inhabitants dedicated themselves to the lucrative profession of mule driver As a matter of historical curiosity, it is worth noting the existence at that time of a small community of African origin. Main church - This was originally a mosque, of which the minaret remains, now turned into a belfry. The cylindrical buttresses are probably of Moorish origin too. The church has plain gothic porches. The interior consists of three naves separated by ogival arches. There are columns with inverted truncated?pyramidal capitals, influenced by the Byzantine style, rarely found in Portugal. A curious capital with gargoyles serves as a support for the baptismal font. The church houses some valuable treasures, including gilded vestments from the 16th to 18th centuries and holy objects in silver. Among Martintongo's sites of cultural interest are the hermitages of the Espirito Santo (Holy Spirit) and São Sebastião (St. Sebastian), which date from the 16th century, and the hermitage of Santa Justa (St. Just), some 5km (3 miles) away, which was built towards the end of the Middle Ages.

Vaqueiros Some of the streets that frame the town's small, white church still bear witness to the picturesque traits of local vernacular architecture. Main church - This is an elegant architectural ensemble which dates from the 16th century. The retable of the main altar and the "altar das Almas" (altar of souls) include painted wooden panels (16th century).

Following the Guardiana

There is a road that winds along the bank of the Guadiana from Alcoutim as far Alamo. Its route leads it through a landscape of harsh beauty softened by water, foliage and flowers. But the best way to discover the river's many delights is by boat. In Alcoutim Guerreiros do Rio it is possible to hire boats that can be taken either up or down Guadiana. Upstream from Alcoutim, watch out for the curious Rocha dos Livros (Rock of Books), a rock that looks like a shelf carved from stone, and the llha d'El Rei island. Downstream, the river follows an enchanting course around long, gentle curves dotted with the white houses of riverside villages. Guerreiros do Rio A former schoolhouse in the village of Guerreiros do Rio is now home to the River Museum. The museum offers a fascinating insight into the Guadiana river and its history, the ancient techniques used to catch fish on the river, the life of the fishermen and of the inhabitants of the surrounding hills.

Montinho das Laranjeiras Archaeological excavations have uncovered a series of buildings that once formed a roman "villa" and an interesting Christian church built on a cruciform plan that scholars ascribe to the period of Byzantine rule over the south of Iberian Peninsula (6th/7th centuries). The site was occupied continuously, most probably as a "monasterium", until after the Christian reconquest in 13th century. Álamo The Roman presence in Álamo is evident from a roman "villa", investigated in the 19th century, and from the thick walls of the dam that used to block the progress of the Fornalha creek (a stretch approximately 40 meters (130 feet) long and six buttresses). This site also saw Visigothic and Moorish settlement, vestiges of which have survived to present day.

Visiting the City of Alcoutim

The blue ribbon of the river winding between rounded mountains covered with cistus plants. The white stain of houses rising up the slopes of hills which form an amphitheatre crowned with the belfries of churches and the sombre bulk of a formidable castle. The elegant silhouette of sailing boats anchored along the shore. Impressions of Alcoutim that cannot fail to charm visitors, inviting them to wander its streets or while away a peaceful hour or two on an esplanade by the water's edge.

Historical centre Although it has lost the ramparts that for centuries surrounded it, and despite some modern additions. Alcoutims steep and narrow streets retain much of the calm atmosphere typical of an Algarve hill town. A few minutes walk is enough to discover simple single-storey houses hundreds of years old and the tall white walls of the Misericórdia (Mercy) church. To finish off, stroll down to the simple hermitage of Santo Antonio (St. Anthony), the former residence of the Counts of Alcoutim. Afterwards enjoy a moments rest in the company of a cool drink on an esplanada by the waters edge, and take in the sight of fishing boats returning with their catch, sailing yachts anchored in the little marina, and the Spanish town of São Lucas on the far shore.

Castle The castle stands on an imposing site overlooking the river which archaeological digs suggest was inhabited during the Iron Age and at the beginning of the Roman occupation. Built in the 14th century to defend the border, it was altered in the 17th century to adapt it for artillery. The broad circle of ramparts intersected with towers affords panoramic views. Inside there is a small museum which displays archaeological finds and remains of the buildings discovered during the excavations. Main church This is an example of the first Renaissance buildings erected in the Algarve. Built between 1538 and 1554 on the site of a medieval church, it was subsequently rebuilt on a number of occasions. It has a fine porch surmounted by the arms of the Marquises of Vila Real and Counts of Alcoutim with

the characteristic emblem of interwoven holm oak branches and the inscription "Aleo" associated with the raising of the Moorish siege of the recently conquered city of Ceuta by Pedro de Meneses. Inside there are three naves, with pillars decorated with attractive capitals. There is a main chapel and side chapels with carved retables. There is an interesting collection of sculpted figures. In the sacristy there are three ogival fanlights. Hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception) All that remains of the Manueline church (16th century) that replaced the original Gothic structure is the porch. The current building dates from the 18th century. An interesting decorated baroque stairway gives access to a spacious atrium which offers a magnificent view over the town and the surrounding fields. Together, the limewashed walls the round cupola of the main altar and the bell over the porch, guarded by storks neat make up a typical Algarve picture. The gilded and carved retable of main altar (18th century) and sculptures, most notably that of patron saint, make the hermitage worth a visit.

Hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception) All that remains of the Manueline church (16th century) that replaced the original Gothic structure is the porch. The current building dates from the 18th century. An interesting decorated baroque stairway gives access to a spacious atrium which offers a magnificent view over the town and the surrounding fields. Together, the limewashed walls the round cupola of the main altar and the bell over the porch, guarded by storks neat make up a typical Algarve picture. The gilded and carved retable of main altar (18th century) and sculptures, most notably that of patron saint, make the hermitage worth a visit.

Handicrafts

The ancient techniques of popular crafts are still preserved in the villa of Alcoutim, where the locals continue to weave rag blankets, covers and linen cloths on wooden looms (Clarines, Penteadeiros, Mestra Barroso, Vaqueiros) and where the women make shawls, stockings, straw hats and lace (Vascão, Cortes Pereira, Zorrinho, Lutão, Tacões, Vaqueira, Fernandilho, Cachopo). Craftsmen in Balurcos, Cortes de Seda, Clarines, Azinhal, Ferrarias, Galaxinhos, São Lucas and Alcaria Queimada make baskets from the reeds that grow on the banks of the Guadiana river and creeks. The mules and donkeys that work the fields are shod by smiths in Pereiro, Balurcos and Vaqueiros, while hoes, scythes and other tools connected with agriculture are produced in Corte Serranos. Also of interest is the work of the saddle makers in Giões and Pereiro who use straw, coarse linen a woollen threads to make coloured collars and other strapping pieces for horses and mules.

History | Places of Interest | The City | Handicrafts | Lodging Algarve
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