Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Vila Real > Alijó > Vila Verde > Alto das Madorras
The Alto das Madorras Megalithic Necropolis is situated in an area of elevated plateau, in the parish of Vila Verde, municipality of Alijó. This archaeological site is located at an altitude of approximately 840 meters, within a predominantly rural and isolated environment, which marks the boundary lines between the municipalities of Alijó and Murça.
Its geographical position, in the area known as Alto das Madorras, offers a serene perspective on the surrounding landscape, allowing visitors to appreciate how these ancient constructions were harmoniously integrated into the territory.
This site houses a remarkable collection of funerary monuments dating back to the megalithic era, composed of eight structures known as antas or mamoas. Seven of these mamoas are located in Vale da Arca, part of the Vila Verde parish in Alijó, and another in the neighboring parish of Fiolhoso, in the municipality of Murça.
The particularity of Alto das Madorras lies in the significant density and imposing scale of these prehistoric constructions. The mamoas feature considerable dimensions, with diameters that can vary between 20 and 50 meters. Each one maintains its tumulus, a type of carefully built lithic shell that mixes granite blocks and white quartz, serving as a cover for the funerary chamber.
Beyond their primary function as burial sites, the antas and mamoas of Alto das Madorras held a profound symbolic meaning for the communities that erected them. They represented places of worship and important points of ritualistic activity, marking geographical spaces of relevance for the societies of the time.
The arrangement of the mamoas along an ancient path that still traverses the plateau suggests an intention to mark this ancestral route. The necropolis is a testament to the intimate communion and interdependence between human beings and the environment, constituting the first lasting monumental transformation introduced by man in this region. Its importance is such that it has been classified as a Site of Public Interest, recognizing its historical and cultural value.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.39431571241093,-7.517187598309345
Coordinates DMS: 41°23'39.5"N 07°31'1.9"W
Weather Vila Verde
On-duty Pharmacy Vila Verde
