Évora

The bus trip to Évora, two hours south-east of Lisbon, along the freeway on one of Portugal's modern coaches was very pleasant. Leaving Lisbon we immediately crossed over the mighty Rio Tejo by the 25th of April Bridge, a twin to San Francisco's Golden Gate, and, at over 3,000 feet between the towers, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. The bridge name stems from the date of Portugal's 1974 revolution and liberation from autocratic rule. My apartment is situated in the old town which is surrounded by a medieval wall, complete with battlements. Évora is steeped in history being occupied from Romans to Moors to Portuguese kings. Its uniform whitewashed houses have a yellow trim around their doors and windows, giving a very pleasant outlook. After settling in I headed for the Praça do Giraldo, the town's central square.The Square gets its name from Giraldo the Fearless, the Christian knight who reclaimed Évora from the Moors in 1165. The buildings around the square still contain wrougt-iron balconies from the Moorish period. Located in the Square is the 16th century Church of Santo Antão with its tall Baroque altarpiece and narrow nave supported by eight round columns. In front of the church is a 16th century marble fountain, which served as an important water source for the town.  King John 111 lived in Évora for three decades and was a fervent proponent of the Inquisition. He had its first victims burned as heretics on this square in 1543. Tomorrow I'll explore this gorgeous town  a little further.