グアディアナバレー自然公園周辺のおすすめファミリーハイキング＆ウォーキング

Along the Ribeira do Geraldo, the Tapada Grande Dam Reservoir holds an unexpected treasure: this serene river beach, with golden sands, fresh lawns, and every comfort for leisure. Once a vital reservoir for the old mining industry, today it is a setting for rest and harmony. Nearby stands the town of Minas de São Domingos, born of the mining past and still marked by the memory of this unique heritage.

The São Domingos Mine is a living memory of a time of fire and iron. Here, where the earth opened up to reveal gold, silver, and copper since ancient times, one of the greatest legacies of the Iberian Pyrite Belt arose in the 19th century. Between 1854 and 1966, millions of tons of ore were extracted here, leaving not only its mark on the soil and landscape, but also progress: one of the country's first railway lines and the first power plant in the Alentejo. Today, the former mining complex is a public heritage site, a place of contrasts and rare beauty.

The old, abandoned copper mines resemble a lunar landscape: a strange and fascinating stage, illuminated by the reflections of copper-hued lakes. A road cuts through the landscape, guiding you along dirt roads. Streams and wells glow in unlikely colors, from copper to green to deep black. Signs warn of the dangers of the water, but nothing prevents your gaze from losing itself in the dramatic and unsettling beauty of the place.

With the beginning of mining and the development of the village, an imposing Catholic church was built near this site and consecrated in 1863. This church was destroyed twice, in 1876 and by fire in August 1938. The current church was not completed until 1951.

A cross depicting the Crucified Christ, supported by an abacus bearing an inscription. The shaft is connected to the capital by an iron ring, on which rests a rod with hooks for holding oil lamps.

This archaeological site is located next to the castle and is open to visitors. It's interesting for the curious, with or without prior knowledge. Admission is free. More

The Mezquita Mosque, now the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção Matriz, was built below the castle complex in the mid-12th century as a square building with a minaret. After the Reconquista by Sancho II, King of Portugal, in 1238, the Mezquita of Mértola, then supplemented by a small bell tower on the minaret, retained its original form for almost 300 years. In 1532, the Mezquita was converted into a church in its present form, with striking small battlements and turrets on the roof. The original mosque was never destroyed.

In 1982, a major fire destroyed the entire town hall of Mértola, built at the end of the 19th century. In 1984, during reconstruction work, archaeological remains were identified that correspond to the structures of a residential building from the Roman period (1st-4th centuries BC).