The Portuguese region of Alentejo is a region of excellent wines, cheese, charcuterie, its relaxing plains, and great Marble.
Alentejo is known for its rural, natural scenery and hot and dry climate. It’s a region that has more to offer than it takes.
Located in the Alentejo region and just 60km from Spain (Badajoz), Vila Viçosa, meaning “fertile village”, is known as the “Marble Capital” of Portugal or “Princess of Alentejo”.
A Royal village of historical importance, famous for its unique Marble, the monumental Renaissance building of Paço Ducal, the birthplace of Florbela Espanca, one of Portugal’s most famous poets, and a pioneer of the feminist movement.
Previously, Vila Viçosa was occupied by the Romans and Muslims. Conquered in 1217 during the reign of King Alphonse the 2nd, becoming a village in 1270.
The Royal palace of Paço Ducal (1501 concluded mid 1600) was commissioned by the House of Bragança before reigning in Portugal. Historically, an important residence of the Monarchy for the House of Bragança (4th and last dynasty to rule Portugal) and a summer resort for the Kings of Portugal. Paço Ducal is a symbol of opulence, luxury, and power, where marble reflects on every exterior and interior part of the building.
All around Vila Viçosa, the architecture shows how influential Marble is for the Village and its economy. You can see it from the exterior and interior facades, pavements, sidewalks, and statues. Marble is everywhere you look and walk on. Imagine a village made of gold, Vila Viçosa is the equivalent but in Marble. They have left no stone unturned here.
The Municipality of Vila Viçosa has a population of 7.719 habitants; 4.635 habitants live in the Village. It has a population density of 41 inhabitants / km².
Despite its size, Vila Viçosa is rich in history, culture, and nature. With so much to see, like the Palace, the Castle, Museums, and Churches. We can also get to know the history of some famous people who affected this village, like one of the Greatest military Generals of Portugal, the Noble and Saint Nuno Alvares Pereira (1360-1431), responsible for the “tactic of the Square”, which is still studied all around the world as part of military history. He was born in Cernache do Bonjardim, but due to his influence on the battlefield and in Portugal’s history, he was given land in Vila Viçosa for his accomplishments.
With all this richness involving Vila Viçosa, it is it’s Marble that has made it famous worldwide with its over 150 quarries. Some of these quarries are an “inverted architecture” structure reaching nearly 150 meters deep, creating an amazing visual architectural experience.
Set on the Anticlinal of Estremoz, an elliptic geological structure, with a length of 40km and a 12km.
This anticline is responsible for the production of 50% of the ornamental stones in Portugal. It represents one of the most important marble deposits in the world and is the most important in the Iberian Peninsula.
Archaeology tells us that this stone exploration dates back to the Ancient Roman times (1st BC). The industrial extraction started at the beginning of the 20th century, in the 20s and 30s, and is the economic motor of the municipality, generating jobs and dynamic municipality and regional growth. Giving hope of a better and stable life offered by the extraction of this “white gold”.
The marble explored here stands out for its enormous polychromic variety: White, Cream, Pink, Red, Gray or Black, Veined or bent, widely used in urban and constructive architecture. Portuguese marble has been used all around the World and especially in the United States since the 18th century for its quality and unique coloring.
This “white gold” corner of Portugal shows that it’s not the size of Vila Viçosa. It’s how much it has to offer.