Viana do Alentejo is a Portuguese village, in the district of Évora, Alentejo region and sub-region of Alentejo Central with 2,742 inhabitants, Portugal
The municipality of Viana do Alentejo is divided into 3 parishes: Aguiar, Alcáçovas and Viana do Alentejo. The municipality is limited to the north by the municipality of Montemor-o-Novo, to the northeast by Évora, to the east by Portel, to the southeast by Cuba, to the south by Alvito and to the southwest and west by Alcácer do Sal.
Viana do Alentejo, a traditional Alentejo village, is located in the mountain with the same name, Serra de Viana do Alentejo. The mountain is not very mountainous and the highest point of this mountain is Pucarinho de São Vicente, 374 meters high. The town is surrounded by beautiful Alentejo plains dotted with mountains and cork oak forests that make it unique.
The small town was initially called “Viana a par d’Alvito” and, according to historical sources, its origins date back to the reign of D. Afonso III, when it was granted the first charter, later renewed by D. Dinis. In the territory of Viana do Alentejo, prehistory did not leave significant traces of its material culture.
During the Roman occupation, many archaeological testimonies remained at the site of the hermitage of Nossa Senhora d’Aires, where remains of a necropolis were found with funerary tombstones and coins from the time of the first emperors.
In Roman times there were two paths that connected Ebora (Évora), the ancient Pax Julia (Beja) and Salacia (Alcácer do Sal).
The two routes still today cross the municipality of Viana do Alentejo from north to south and along these two routes urban clusters emerged where the Marian cult of Nossa Senhora D’Aires and Nossa Senhora da Esperança became one of the most important in Alentejo.
Natural water sources facilitated the settlement of man in these lands, who fought against the thirst of the region's plains by creating vegetable gardens, fountains and pleasant fountains in the streets of Viana do Alentejo.
The attractions are: Castle of Viana do Alentejo, Main Church of Viana do Alentejo, Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aires, Church of Misericórdia, Fonte da Cruz (19th century), Praça da República, Fountain of Rossio das Hortas (1904), Fountain of Praça da República (15th century), Fonte das Freiras (18th century), Convent of Nossa Senhora da Piedade or São Francisco (16th century), Hermitages of S. Sebastião and S. Vicente, what still remains of the Convent of Jesus, the Church of S. Vicente (in Alcáçovas).
The Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora d'Aires is located outside the center of the town, built in marble and granite, and is a Marian temple whose construction began in 1743, completed in 1804 and currently the Sanctuary is a place of devotion and pilgrimage.
The Baroque Sanctuary with Rococo elements houses inside the Casa dos Milagres a famous collection of ex-votos, a legacy of great value and the Sanctuary's ceiling and the walls of the church are covered with paintings.
The gastronomic event called “Almoço dos Ganhões” is celebrated annually in a joyful and effusive way by the locals.
The ganhões were agricultural workers who spent the night and cooked in the so-called ganhão's house on the large Alentejo estates.
The “Feira d’Aires” is a centuries-old fair with religious events, music and traditional commerce and takes place around the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora d’Aires and welcomes thousands of people every year in September.
Viana do Alentejo, a traditional Alentejo village, is located in the mountain with the same name, Serra de Viana do Alentejo. The mountain is not very mountainous and the highest point of this mountain is Pucarinho de São Vicente, 374 meters high. The town is surrounded by beautiful Alentejo plains dotted with mountains and cork oak forests that make it unique.
The small town was initially called “Viana a par d’Alvito” and, according to historical sources, its origins date back to the reign of D. Afonso III, when it was granted the first charter, later renewed by D. Dinis. In the territory of Viana do Alentejo, prehistory did not leave significant traces of its material culture.
During the Roman occupation, many archaeological testimonies remained at the site of the hermitage of Nossa Senhora d’Aires, where remains of a necropolis were found with funerary tombstones and coins from the time of the first emperors.
In Roman times there were two paths that connected Ebora (Évora), the ancient Pax Julia (Beja) and Salacia (Alcácer do Sal).
The two routes still today cross the municipality of Viana do Alentejo from north to south and along these two routes urban clusters emerged where the Marian cult of Nossa Senhora D’Aires and Nossa Senhora da Esperança became one of the most important in Alentejo.
Natural water sources facilitated the settlement of man in these lands, who fought against the thirst of the region's plains by creating vegetable gardens, fountains and pleasant fountains in the streets of Viana do Alentejo.
The attractions are: Castle of Viana do Alentejo, Main Church of Viana do Alentejo, Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aires, Church of Misericórdia, Fonte da Cruz (19th century), Praça da República, Fountain of Rossio das Hortas (1904), Fountain of Praça da República (15th century), Fonte das Freiras (18th century), Convent of Nossa Senhora da Piedade or São Francisco (16th century), Hermitages of S. Sebastião and S. Vicente, what still remains of the Convent of Jesus, the Church of S. Vicente (in Alcáçovas).
The Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora d'Aires is located outside the center of the town, built in marble and granite, and is a Marian temple whose construction began in 1743, completed in 1804 and currently the Sanctuary is a place of devotion and pilgrimage.
The Baroque Sanctuary with Rococo elements houses inside the Casa dos Milagres a famous collection of ex-votos, a legacy of great value and the Sanctuary's ceiling and the walls of the church are covered with paintings.
The gastronomic event called “Almoço dos Ganhões” is celebrated annually in a joyful and effusive way by the locals.
The ganhões were agricultural workers who spent the night and cooked in the so-called ganhão's house on the large Alentejo estates.
The “Feira d’Aires” is a centuries-old fair with religious events, music and traditional commerce and takes place around the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora d’Aires and welcomes thousands of people every year in September.
