Almendres Menhir

Category: Archaeology > Menhir

District: Évora > Évora > Nossa Senhora da Tourega e Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe > Herdade dos Almendres

Location

The Almendres Menhir is located on the Herdade dos Almendres, a rural area belonging to the union of parishes of Nossa Senhora da Tourega and Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, in the municipality of Évora. It is situated atop a hillside, in a peaceful valley, where it harmonizes with the surrounding landscape, dominated by the Almendres ridge. Its isolated position provides an environment of quietude and contemplation amidst the Alentejo nature.

A Neolithic Legacy

This granite monolith represents one of the most important manifestations of megalithism in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the most relevant complexes at a European level. Its construction dates back to an extensive chronological period spanning from the Middle Neolithic to the Iron Age, approximately between the late sixth and early third millennia BCE. Originally, it would have been a place with strong religious and symbolic significance, a sacred space that was used and reused over millennia, serving today as a historical-cultural landmark that connects us to ancestral times.

Characteristics and the Ancient Wisdom of the Stone

The Almendres Menhir is a large stone, approximately 3.5 meters high from the ground, with an elliptical cross-section of about 1.20 by 0.80 meters. Made of porphyritic granite, it has a roughly conical shape, with well-polished surfaces patinated by time. In its upper third, a subtle decoration can be observed, consisting of a representation evoking a crozier and a band of wavy lines, details that reveal the art and symbolism of the peoples who erected it. Its placement is not random; this menhir aligns with the sunrise on the Summer Solstice, demonstrating a profound astronomical knowledge and an intrinsic link between the monument and natural cycles. Since 1974, this menhir has been protected by law as a Property of Public Interest.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt