worth seeing

Archaeological Crypt of Alcácer Castle

Twenty-seven centuries of history intersect in the Archaeological Crypt of the Castle of Alcácer do Sal, inaugurated in April 2008. The underground, excavated in the basement of the fortress and the former Convent of Aracaelli, which today houses the Pousada D. Afonso II, offers a true journey through time where it is possible to see traces of all the people who lived on the hill above where the city stands.

Excavations, carried out in the mid 1990s by archeologists the late João Carlos Faria and Dr António Cavaleiro Paixão, revealed traces of the Iron Age dating back to the 7th century BC, as well as structures from the Roman period and Islamic occupation covering a considerable area.

The mass of ruins, properly cleaned and prepared, explore the eras that overlap, from the oldest, in the 5th century BC to the most modern, in the 17th century.

The church of Santa Maria do Castelo

Dating back to 1217, and inside the castle boundaries, this church was consecrated by the Order of Santiago after King Alfonso II re-conquered the city. The building combines detail from the Gothic, Manueline and Baroque periods and features a stone pulpit supported by a carving of an archangel. There’s lots of gilded woodcarvings in the church but possibly most photographed is the stork’s nest at home on the high spire.