Evora, Portugal

I decided to spend a day visiting Evora, an ancient walled city (UNESCO world heritage) in the Alentejo region of Portugal. This is a very flat, farming area.

Apparently, Evora, like the rest of Europe, is very popular amongst Japanese tourists (though I didn’t see any). Besides the usual cathedrals, churches and squares, several places of interest in Evora are worth mentioning.

First, the bone chapel. Evora has a chapel made entirely of bones and skulls inside! There is an inscription inside the chapel that says “we are waiting for your bones”. How creepy!

Evora also has its share of Roman ruins, notably the Temple of Diana and an aqueduct. Perhaps I was most impressed by the buildings that now comprise the University of Evora. One of these buildings in a 16th century Jesuit college that has a beautiful courtyard with azulejo tiles. I can’t believe students get to study in an ambience of history!