ÉVORA: the city

Évora, an important Roman city called Liberalitas Julia, is situated at a crossroads in the imperial province of Lusitania. At the time of the barbarian invasions, Évora was under Visigothic rule. It occupies the space delimited by the modified Roman wall. The city was conquered by the Muslims (715), who improved the fortifications, and the Christian reconquest (1165) led to the integration of Évora into the independent kingdom of Portugal. This was the beginning of a period of development that lasted until the 16th century. Under the rule of the House of Avis (1385-1580), Évora became the kingdom’s second city after Lisbon. In the 16th century, Évora reached its golden age. It was also the time of great architectural achievements and the start of the great Portuguese maritime expeditions. It was possible to discover Madeira, the Azores and the Cape Verde Islands and many other stops on the world’s maritime routes. In the 17th century, a Vauban-type wall was built. In the 17th century, a Vauban-type wall was built. In the 18th century, the Jesuits, whose intellectual and religious influence had been important since the 16th century, were expelled.

The city of Évora is the main urban centre in the Alentejo region in terms of population and function. The city’s social and economic dynamics have managed to counterbalance the trend in the region as a whole, maintaining a growth rate similar to that of other medium-sized cities in Portugal.

In recent decades, a global trend has been the growing urbanisation of the population, with an increase in the transfer of population from small settlements to large metropolises and medium-sized cities.
The valorisation of natural spaces or defined environmental valences, along with economic sustainability and a qualified local socio-cultural network, have become presuppositions assumed by society in general and by sovereign bodies in particular.

Source: Évora City Council