Elvas
Elvas
Heavily marked by its strategic position, Elvas is a city where the defense was always a priority.
Besides the two military museums that retell the evolution of this role, the city also has walls of different ages, from roman to Islamic, from medieval to the 17th century. It includes the bulwarked fortifications considered World Heritage in 2012, as the fort of Santa Luzia and the fort of Graça.
It's also important to highlight the aqueduct of Amoreira, probably the first image we link to Elvas and the Castle with impressive views of the surrounding area. Nevertheless, the city also keeps a strong memory of the faith of its people which can be seen in the significant number of churches and convents, interesting because of their different architecture, influences, and origins.
Elvas also has the Museum of Contemporary Art (MACE) and the Municipal Museum of Photography João Carpinteiro.
The city calendar is built around three main events: the Medieval Festival (June or July), the International Festival of Folklore (August), and the celebration of Senhor Jesus da Piedade (religious festivities) that happen simultaneously with the São Mateus fair (profane) in September