At the medieval Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom), in the city of Cologne, Germany

 One of the key inland ports of Europe, Cologne (German: Köln) is the historic, cultural, and economic capital of the Rhineland.

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(at the point where the huge traffic artery of the Rhine River intersects one of the major land routes for trade between western and eastern Europe) Cologne, the fourth largest city in Germany, lies 210 feet (65 meters) above sea level, just below where the Rhine enters the fertile North German Plain. (The river at this point is navigable to seagoing vessels.) The immediate surroundings of Cologne are varied. The hills of the Bergisches Land lie to the east, while on the west is another group of hills forming a chain called the Ville. The North German Plain stretches away to the north and northwest, and the Rhine Valley winds to the southeast toward Bonn. Cologne is also part of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, the second biggest metro region by GDP in the European Union. Centered on the left (west) bank of the Rhine, Cologne is located on the River Rhine (Lower Rhine), about 35 km (22 mi) southeast of the North Rhine-Westphalia state capital Düsseldorf and 25 km (16 mi.) northwest of Bonn, the former capital of West Germany.

+The city's medieval Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) was the world's tallest building and is today the third-tallest church and tallest cathedral in the world. It was constructed to house the Shrine of the Three Kings and is a globally recognized landmark and one of the most visited sights and pilgrimage destinations in Europe. The cityscape is further shaped by the Twelve Romanesque churches of Cologne.

+ Today, Cologne still offers a mother lode of attractions, led by its famous cathedral whose filigree twin spires dominate the skyline. The city’s museum landscape is especially strong when it comes to art but also has something in store for fans of chocolate, sports and even Roman history. Cologne's people are known for their liberalism and joie de vivre; it’s easy to have a good time with them in the beer halls of the Altstadt or during Carnival. This is a city that combines history, culture, and art in a captivating way. The majestic Kölner Dom, a Gothic masterpiece that dominates the skyline, is a must-see for any visitor. You can admire its stunning architecture, climb its towers, or explore its treasury and museum. Cologne is also a hotspot for street art, with colorful murals and graffiti adorning the walls of many buildings.

+ In the 1980s and 1990s Cologne's economy prospered for two main reasons. The first was the growth in the number of media companies, both in the private and public sectors; they are especially catered for in the newly developed Media Park, which creates a strong visual focal point in Cologne's city center and includes the KölnTurm, one of Cologne's most prominent high-rise buildings. The second was the permanent improvement of the diverse traffic infrastructure, which made Cologne one of the most easily accessible metropolitan areas in Central Europe.

In the city of Evora, in the south-central Portugal

 “Any Portuguese town looks like bride’s finery – something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” – Mary Mccarthy

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(in south-central Portugal) The city of Évora lies in a fertile valley surrounded by low hills, 70 miles (110 km) east of Lisbon. Évora (altitude 300meters) is situated in Alentejo, a large region of wide plains in the south of Portugal, bordered to the North by the Tagus River and to the South by the region of Algarve. The city which is also not far from Badajoz at the Spanish border, is the main city of the region. Originally known as Ebora, it was, from 80 to 72 BCE, the headquarters of the Roman commander Quintus Sertorius, and it long remained an important Roman military center.

Later it was called Liberalitas Julia because of certain municipal privileges bestowed upon it by Julius Caesar. About 712 Évora was conquered by the Moors, who named it Jabura, and it remained under Moorish rule until ca. 1166. In the 15th–16th century the kings of Portugal began residing regularly in Évora. The city’s bishopric, founded in the 5th century, was raised to an archbishopric in the 16th. From 1663 to 1665 it was in Spanish hands. Fought over for centuries, Évora has a coat of arms that features two severed human heads. The cathedral, originally a Romanesque building, was restored in Gothic style (ca. 1400). São Francisco Church is a good example of the blended Moorish and Gothic architecture known as Manueline; it includes a 16th-century chapel created from the bones of some 5,000 monks. The city is the seat of the University of Évora, which was originally founded in 1559 to succeed the College of the Holy Spirit (Jesuit; founded in 1551) but was suppressed in 1759; it was reconstituted in 1973 as the University Institute of Évora, which gave way to the University of Évora in 1979. An inn, the Pousada dos Lóios, is situated on the grounds of the former convent of Lóios. Just outside the inn is the small Roman Temple of Diana, which dates from the 1st–3rd century CE After 1640 the city became a center for music study (and performance in connection with the cathedral and university). The Museum of Évora includes archaeological and art exhibits. The historic center of the city, with a defensive wall dating from the Roman, Moorish, and later periods and whitewashed houses adorned with azulejos (glazed tiles), was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.

+ In 1834, Évora was the site of the surrender of the forces of King Miguel I, which marked the end of the Liberal Wars. The many monuments erected by major artists now testify to Évora's lively cultural and rich artistic and historical heritage. The variety of architectural styles (Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Baroque), the palaces and the picturesque labyrinth of squares and narrow streets of the city center, are all part of the rich heritage of this museum-city, Which is one of Portugal’s most beautifully preserved medieval towns.

In the picturesque town of Piran, located in southwestern Slovenian Istria.

 Giuseppe Tartini was an Italian composer and violinist of the Baroque era born in Pirano in the Republic of Venice (now Piran, Slovenia).

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(in southwestern Slovenia on the Gulf of Piran on the Adriatic Sea) The town of Piran, in Slovenian Istria. It is known for its medieval architecture, with narrow streets and compact houses. Piran is one of Slovenia's major tourist attractions.
; located at the tip of the Piran peninsula on the Gulf of it is a gem of the Adriatic coast This medieval town boasts a stunning oval-shaped square, named after the violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini, who was born here. Tartini played an important role in shaping the towns's cultural heritage. The town's main square, Tartini Square, was  named after him. In 1892, the 200th anniversary of his birth, a monument to Tartini was erected in Piran. The statue dominates the square, overlooked by the Cathedral of Saint George. Piran also offers a variety of beaches, where you can swim, sunbathe, or enjoy the fresh seafood. One of the loveliest towns along the Adriatic coast, Piran (Pirano in Italian) sits prettily at the tip of a narrow peninsula. Its Old Town is a gem of Venetian Gothic architecture.

+ The town was annexed to the Austrian Empire in 1797; but during the years from 1806 to 1814, it was ceded to the Napoleonic Empire. On 22 February 1812, the Battle of Pirano was fought between a British and a French ship of the line in the vicinity of Piran. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Piran was an Austro-Hungarian town with over 15,000 inhabitants. It was a flourishing market and spa town with good transport connections. The first trolleybus line in the Balkans was introduced to public service on 24 October 1909 in Piran.

+ After WWI, together with Trieste and all Istria, the town was ceded to Italy. With the defeat of the Axis powers in WWI and the rise of Tito's rule, Piran was assigned to the Free Territory of Trieste, under Yugoslavian administration. The town was annexed to Yugoslavia in 1954. Much of Piran's population chose to emigrate to Italy or abroad in the final phase of the Istrian–Dalmatian exodus, rather than stay in socialist Yugoslavia. The annexation to Yugoslavia was ratified in 1975, with the municipality becoming part of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia. Until the mid-20th century, Italian was the dominant language, but it was replaced by Slovene following the Istrian exodus. Since 1991, Piran has been part of independent Slovenia. The territorial claims of Croatia and Slovenia in the Gulf of Piran remained a matter of debate in the Croatia–Slovenia border disputes that began after the dissolution of Yugoslavia.

+ Piran is now the seat of the Euro-Mediterranean University of Slovenia (EMUNI), founded in 2008 as one of the cultural projects of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean. The Piran Coastal Galleries, a public institution is based in Piran.

+ Depicted here, is Tartini Square:

In the city of Rovinj-Rovigno, in Croatia on the north Adriatic Sea

 Small is beautiful. Nowhere is that truer than in Istria, the compact, heart-shaped peninsula at the northern end of Croatia's coast, in the Adriatic Sea

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(on Istria, a triangular peninsula that is part of Croatia and Slovenia; it extends into the northeastern Adriatic Sea, between the Gulf of Venice (west) and the Gulf of Kvarner (east).

+ Istria has a history of being conquered and reconquered by different cultures: the Franks in 788, the Venetians in 1145, the Hapsburg Empire in 1348, Napoleon in 1797. Between World War I and World War II, Istria was part of Italy; following WWII, it became part of Yugoslavia, before Croatia became independent in 1991.

+ The northern portion is part of Slovenia, while the central and southern parts belong to Croatia. (A tiny strip of coast at its northwestern base is the site of Trieste, which belongs to Italy.) Istria’s highly indented shoreline, 267 miles (430 km) in length, exhibits many drowned valleys. The west coast has a score of small offshore island groups, the most notable being Brioni (Brijuni). The terrain consists of a limestone plateau, much of which lacks water due to its karst topography. The northeast section consists of the mountains of the Dinaric Alps, with a maximum elevation of 4,596 feet (1,401 meters) at Mount Učka. These modest heights slope gradually south and west in undulating terraces toward the Adriatic. Parts of the peninsula have thick forests, and places suffering from extensive timber cutting are being reforested. In the waterless karst areas a scrub vegetation prevails. A Mediterranean climate brings hot, dry summers and warm, wet winters.

The population of Istria, approximately two-thirds of which is Croatian, engages mostly in agriculture. Wheat, corn (maize), rye, oats, figs, fruit, and olives are grown in the fertile western and southeastern coastal areas, and cattle are bred. There has been an increase in viticulture, and fishing (and shipbuilding) are other activities. Salt is obtained from seawater at Piran and Portorož in Slovenia. Raša, in Croatia, is an important site for the mining of high-quality anthracite coal; and bauxite, building stone, and quartz are also extracted. Istria’s most important town and harbor is Pula, which has a well-preserved Roman amphitheater. Opatija and Brioni are best known as seaside resorts.After World War I, Italy forcibly seized the peninsula from Austria in 1919 and afterward tried to Italianize the population. But, following Italy’s defeat in World War II, Yugoslavia occupied most of Istria in 1947. The peninsula’s northwestern section, around Trieste, was finally divided between Italy and Yugoslavia in 1954 after decades of diplomatic wrangling and periodic political crises. Istria quietly became part of Croatia and Slovenia in 1991 when those states became independent nations. (Italian minorities remain in both the Slovene and Croatian parts.)

+ Shown here is Rovinj-Rovigno, a city in Croatia on the north Adriatic Sea:

In the city of Brașov, in the Transylvania region of Romania

 “But we are strong, each in our purpose, and we are all more strong together. ― Bram Stoker, Dracula

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(on the northern slope of the Transylvanian Alps, in central Romania} The city
of Brașov, capital of Brașov County is one of the largest cities of the country; it is in the Southern Carpathians, surrounded on three sides by mountains, 105 miles (170 km) north-northwest of Bucharest by road.

+ Right in the center of Romania is Brasov, a harmonious mixture of traditional charm and modern city life. Ride a double-decker bus around the city to get your bearings and observe the sites whiz by, then hop off to squeeze down Strada Sforii, the narrowest street in Europe. Take a day trip to see the fortified church of Prejmer, the Libearty brown bear sanctuary, and the decidedly ominous Bran Castle, otherwise known as Dracula’s Castle.

+ Founded by Teutonic Knights in 1211 and first mentioned in documents as Brașov in 1251, it became the center of a Saxon colony trading in cloth, weapons, metalwork, and wax throughout much of Walachia and Moldavia. The substantial autonomy of its German inhabitants was ended in 1876 with the abolition of their separate national status. The old (inner) town, heavily fortified in the 15th century against the Turks, survived with little damage and contains many historic buildings, including the Town Hall, the 190-foot (58-meter) watchtower, also called Trumpeter’s Tower, the Orthodox St. Nicholas’ Church, and St. Bartholomew’s Church (the oldest building in Brașov). In Brașov are several theaters and museums and a university. “The Apostle of Transylvania,” Johannes Honterus, who led the Protestant Reformation in the area, lived and died in Brașov (then Kronstadt) and established the first printing press in Transylvania there (in 1535). The first book printed in the Romanian language, by the deacon Coresi, was published in Brașov in the mid-16th century. (Education in Romanian was introduced there in the first Romanian school (in 1559.)

+ Part of the historical region of Transylvania. Brașov is located in the central part of the country, about 166 km (103 mi.) north of Bucharest and 380 km (236 mi.) from the Black Sea. Historically, the city was the center of the Burzenland (Romanian: Țara Bârsei), once dominated by the Transylvanian Saxons (German: Siebenbürger Sachsen), and a significant commercial hub on the trade roads between Austria (then Archduchy of Austria, within the Habsburg monarchy, and subsequently Austrian Empire) and Turkey (then Ottoman Empire).

+This medieval town in the very heart of Transylvania is surrounded by the majestic Carpathian Mountains, which offers marvelous views and numerous outdoor activities. You can explore the Gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture of the OldTown, visit the impressive Saint Nicholas' Cathedral and the largest Gothic church in Romania, or walk along the narrow Rope Street, one of the smallest in Europe. You can also take a cable car to the top of Mount Tâmpa.

In the city of Heidelberg, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. southwest Germany

 When the city's 18th century sandstone Alte Brücke, or old bridge, is lit up you can see what Mark Twain meant about the beauty of Heidelberg at night.

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(on the Neckar river in southwest Germany) Heidelberg is a city in the state of Baden-Württemberg; it is located some 78 km (48 mi.) south of Frankfurt am Main. The fifth-largest city in Baden-Württemberg. Heidelberg is part of the densely populated Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. The city's University, founded in 1386, is Germany's oldest and one of Europe's most reputable. Heidelberg is a scientific hub in Germany and home to several internationally renowned research facilities adjacent to its university, including the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and four Max Planck Institutes.The city has also been a hub for the arts, especially literature, throughout the centuries, and it was designated a "City of Literature" by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.Heidelberg was a seat of government of the former Electorate of the Palatinate and is a popular tourist destination, due to its romantic cityscape, including Heidelberg Castle, the Philosophers' Walk, and the Baroque Old Town.

+ Heidelberg is located on the eastern edge of the Upper Rhine Plain (German: Oberrheinebene), at the place where the river Neckar leaves its valley through the Odenwald mountains and begins the last leg of its journey across the plain towards Mannheim, where it merges into the Rhine about 20 km. A part of Heidelberg, including the historical Old Town and the Heidelberg Castle, is located in the narrow Neckar valley.

+ The U.S. 44th Infantry Division took part in combat in Western Europe throughout 1944 and early 1945, and the division's artillery commander became the subject of international headlines in March 1945, when he helped save Heidelberg from bombing by persuading Nazi troops to withdraw. On 29 March 1945, German troops left the city after destroying three arches of the old bridge, Heidelberg's treasured river crossing. The U.S. Army (63rd Infantry, 7th Army) entered the town on 30 March 1945. The civilian population surrendered without resistance.

+ Heidelberg, unlike most German cities and towns, was spared from Allied bombing raids during the war. Other university towns, such as Tübingen and Göttingen, were spared bombing as well. Allied air raids focused extensively on the nearby industrial cities of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. The U.S. Army may have selected Heidelberg as a garrison base because of its excellent infrastructure, including the Heidelberg–Mannheim Autobahn (motorway), which connected to the Mannheim–Darmstadt–Frankfurt Autobahn, and the U.S. Army installations in Mannheim and Frankfurt. The intact rail infrastructure was more important in the late 1940s and early 1950s when most heavy loads were still carried by train, not by truck. Heidelberg had the untouched Wehrmacht barracks, the "Grossdeutschland Kaserne" which the US Army occupied soon after, renaming it the Campbell Barracks.

At the Castle de Chambord in the Loir-et-Cher département of the Centre région, of central France

 A wise man is superior to any insults which can be put upon him, and the best reply to unseemly behavior is patience and moderation.

Moliere
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(in the Loir-et-Cher département of the Centre région, of central France) The Centre région is bounded by the régions of Normandy and Île-de-France to the north, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté to the east, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes to the southeast, Nouvelle-Aquitaine to the south, and Pays de la Loire to the west.

The village of Chambord lies on the left bank of the Cosson River, east of Blois. It lies in the 13,600-acre (5,500-hectare) National Hunting Reserve and Breeding Park, which is surrounded by the longest wall (20 miles [32 km]) in all of France. Its famous Renaissance château, with 440 rooms, is the largest of the Loire Valley group. Originally a hunting lodge of the counts of Blois, it was completely rebuilt by Francis I and Henry II, beginning in 1519. Molière wrote Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (and some of Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme) at the château, where he also performed them for Louis XIV. Louis XV loaned the château to his father-in-law, Stanisław I Leszczynski, (from 1725 to 1733), and then rewarded Marshal Maurice de Saxe for the victory of Fontenoy by deeding the domain to him. Napoleon made a gift of the neglected property to Marshal Louis-Alexandre Berthier, from whose widow it was purchased by public subscription in 1821 for the duke of Bordeaux, who took the title of count of Chambord. The château was purchased by the state in 1930. One highlight is a double-helix staircase, at the heart of the château, allowing visitors to ascend and descend at the same time.

+ Featured here is the Château de Chambord in Chambord, with its surrounding moat, located in the eastern part of the Loire River valley. It was designed by architect Domenico da Cortona. Construction of the château began in 1519 and continued into the 17th century. It is the largest and most extravagant of the Loire châteaux and one of the finest examples of French Renaissance architecture. The château was constructed for King Francis I after his return from the French campaign in Italy, and its style can be directly linked to the monarch’s wish to adopt new Italian models. Domenico da Cortona, a Tuscan artist involved in other royal castle projects, supervised construction of the château and provided wooden design models.

+ The castle is constructed on an unprecedented scale -- a rectangular plan of 512 feet (156 meters) on its major facades, marked at each corner by round towers. The fantastic outline of the upper parts bristle with more than 300 chimneys, dormer windows, and turrets. The core of the building is its keep, or donjon, a centralized structure that measures 144 feet (44 meters) on each side, with a main hall built to a Greek-cross plan, which is said to have been derived from Donato Bramante’s original plans for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. A motif of salamanders, Francis I’s emblem, appears throughout the castle.

In the city of Salzburg, the capital of Salzburg a federal state in north-central Austria.

 "If only the whole world could feel the power of harmony."

-- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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(in the city of Salzburg, the capital of Salzburg a federal state in north-central Austria.) It is found in a level basin on both sides of the Salzach River near the northern foothills of the Alps and the Bavarian (German) border. The historic center of the city, with its mix of art and architecture, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996. The city stands on the site of the Roman settlement of Iuvavum. Salzburg was founded as an episcopal see in 696 and became a seat of the archbishop in 798. Its main sources of income were salt extraction, trade, as well as gold mining. Hohensalzburg, one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe, dates from the 11th century. In the 17th century, Salzburg became a center of the Counter-Reformation, with monasteries and many Baroque churches built here.

+ Salzburg's historic center (German: Altstadt) is renowned for its Baroque architecture and is one of the best-preserved city centers north of the Alps. (The city has three universities and a large population of students.)

+ Independence from Bavaria was secured in the late 14th century. Salzburg was the seat of the Archbishopric of Salzburg, a prince-bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire. As the Reformation movement gained steam, riots broke out among peasants in the areas in and around Salzburg. The Archbishop had to flee to the safety of the fortress, which was besieged for three months in 1525. Eventually, tensions were quelled, and the city's independence led to an increase in wealth and prosperity, culminating in the late 16th to 18th centuries under the Prince Archbishops Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, Markus Sittikus, and Paris Lodron. It was in the 17th century that architects rebuilt the city center as it is today, along with many palaces.

+ In 1772–1803, under archbishop Hieronymus Graf von Colloredo, Salzburg was a center of late Illuminism. Colloredo is known for being one of the main employers of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Colloredo often had arguments with Mozart and he dismissed him by saying, Soll er doch gehen, ich brauche ihn nicht! (He should go; I don't need him!). Mozart left Salzburg for Vienna in 1781 with his family. In 1803, the archbishopric was secularised by Emperor Napoleon; he transferred the territory to Ferdinando III of Tuscany, former Grand Duke of Tuscany, as the Electorate of Salzburg. In 1805, Salzburg was annexed to the Austrian Empire, along with the Berchtesgaden Provostry. In 1809, the territory of Salzburg was transferred to the Kingdom of Bavaria after Austria's defeat at Wagram. With the Treaty of Munich, Salzburg was returned to Austria. In 1850, Salzburg's status was restored as the capital of the Duchy of Salzburg, a crownland of the Austrian Empire. The city became part of Austria-Hungary in 1866 as the capital of a crownland of the Austrian Empire. (The nostalgia of the Romantic Era soon led to increased tourism.)

In the The city of Český Krumlov, in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic

 The Historic Center of Český Krumlov is a property of high authenticity. Its present form and appearance closely reflect the type of a town linked to the noble residence since the Middle Ages.

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(in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic) The city of Český Krumlov is situated Situated about 15 miles (25 km) southwest of the larger city of České Budějovice; it lies on the Vltava River. The town grew up around a Gothic castle, built on the cliffs above the Vltava by Bohemian nobles in the mid-13th century. In the succeeding centuries, aristocratic occupants, including members of the house of Schwarzenberg, expanded the castle, incorporating Renaissance and Baroque elements and ultimately creating one of the largest castle complexes in central Europe. The medieval character of Český Krumlov has been preserved, and it was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1992. From the Middle Ages to the mid-20th century, the city was populated by a mixture of Czechs and Germans. After the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918, the Czechoslovak government rejected the German form of the city’s name in favour of the present Czech version, and after WWII the government expelled the German-speaking population Today, tourism is a major economic activity; in addition to hundreds of historic buildings, attractions include local museums, art galleries, theaters and festivals.

+ The Historic Center of Český Krumlov is a great example of a small Central European medieval town whose architectural heritage has remained intact, due to its peaceful evolution over more than several centuries. This feudal town, a former center of a large estate owned by powerful noble families who played an important role in the political, economic and cultural history of Central Europe, was founded in the Middle Ages and underwent Renaissance and Baroque transformations. As it remained almost intact, it has retained its street layout, which is typical of planned medieval towns, as well as many historic buildings including their details such as the roof shapes, the decoration of Renaissance and Baroque facades, vaulted spaces, as well as original layouts and interiors.

The castle features Gothic, Late Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements. It is dominated by the Gothic Hrádek with its round tower; this was subsequently converted into a Baroque residence with the addition of a garden, the Bellaire summer pavilion, a winter riding school, and a unique Baroque theater in 1766. Latrán (a settlement developed to the east) and the town proper contain undisturbed ensembles of burgher houses, the oldest being in High Gothic style. They are notable for their facades, internal layouts, and decorative detail, and especially carved wooden Renaissance ceilings.

+ There are also plenty of lively bars and riverside picnic spots; in summer it is a popular hangout for backpackers though it can be quite a magical place in winter, when the crowds are gone and the castle is blanketed in snow.

In the medieval village of Monsaraz, in the municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portuguese Alentejo region

 “The only thing that matters is to feel the fado. The fado is not meant to be sung; it simply happens. You feel it, you don’t understand it, and you don’t explain it.” – Amália Rodrigues

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(in a civil parish of the municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz, in the Portuguese civil parish [(freguesia] of the municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz, on the right margin of the Guadiana River in the Portuguese Alentejo region, near its border with Spain.} The town of Monsaraz was conquered by the Moors in 1167 (by the men of Geraldo Without Awe). The first charter came to be granted by D. Afonso III, on January 15, 1276. The castle of Monsaraz has played (over the centuries) the role of sentinel of the Guadiana, guarding the border with Castile. The village came to manage three parishes: the Matriz of Santa Maria da Lagoa, Santiago, and St. Bartholomew. The medieval village was the county seat until 1838, when that function passed to the parish of Reguengos.

+ The medieval village of Monsaraz, has maintained its characteristics through the centuries. A trip to Monsaraz is also a journey back in time as it is a unique place where you can still find peace and tranquility forgotten by modern times. Marked by lime and shale, it becomes "Monsaraz Open Museum" every July during July, an opportunity to learn about Alentejo customs and customs in handicrafts, gastronomy, and the various cultural events that take place here, including music, theater, dance, and art exhibitions. In the patrimony of Monsaraz, the Medieval Castle and Medieval Tower, the Old Courthouse Building, and the Mother Church of Nossa Senhora da Lagoa; this place is.
considered one of the oldest villages in Portugal. Monsaraz has recorded evidence of settlement since prehistoric times, being initially a fortified castro. From then on it was successively occupied until the period of formation of the nationality, being conquered for the first time by the Muslims in 1157.

+ Returning to the dominion of the almôadas after D. Afonso Henriques was defeated in Badajoz, the town would be reconquered by D. Sancho II in 1232, who donated it to the Order of the Temple. The Christian repopulation of Monsaraz, however, was only to take place in the reign of Afonso III, when the monarch granted him the first charter, fixing the limits of the county. In the following years the primitive nucleus of the castle was built, including the keep, the matrix, and the Gothic court, whose interior houses the fresco of O Bom and Mau Juiz. Throughout the 16th century, and with the Manueline reform of the charter, the village was growing, establishing itself a Brotherhood of Mercy.

+ During the Restoration Wars, due to the proximity of Monsaraz with the Guadiana and the Spanish border, the Crown had built a new fortress around the village, using the French-Dutch system, or Vauban. The project of the new square of arms was designed by the French engineers Nicolau de Langres and Jean Gillot (in1975).