Beja

In the place where Beja is located there are signs of occupation since ancient times, but it was the Roman domain that most contributed to its development. It was here that, in the century. I a. C., Emperor Julius Caesar signed a peace treaty with the Lusitanian tribes that occupied the territory. Then, the place was renamed Pax Julia and was elevated to legal and administrative capital.

The current urban layout of Beja has bases in the Roman city and at the gates of Évora and Mértola that mark the old entrances in the walls. Economic growth is evidenced by the large number of archaeological pieces found, which can be seen at the Rainha D. Leonor Regional Museum. Very close to Beja, Villa Romana de Pisão shows us in a more real way how a Roman family lived during that period.
In the century. VI, the Visigoths occupied the territory and remained here until the century. VIII, when they were defeated by the Muslim tribes that occupied the South of the Iberian Peninsula. A visit to the Visigothic Center of the Regional Museum, installed in the Church of Santo Amaro is essential to discover the contributions of Visigothic culture in the city that was its episcopal seat.
Since the beginning of the Christian Reconquest during the century. XII, Beja lived troubled times. First conquered by Christians in 1162, it suffered several attacks from Muslims and only had definitive peace in 1253, with King Afonso III, who rebuilt the village, granted it a charter (1254) and regained its economic importance. At the end of the century, King D. Dinis had the castle built, whose keep became the city's landmark.

Beja experienced new moments of dynamism during the century. XV, when King Afonso V formed the Duchy of Beja and gave it to his brother, Infante D. Fernando. King D. João II appointed Duque de Beja as his cousin, the future king D. Manuel I. Since then, the duchy would always be in possession of the second sons of kings. The royal patronage was marked by some monuments that are worth visiting, namely the Convento da Conceição, the Igreja da Misericórdia, the Convento de São Francisco, currently transformed into a Pousada, the Igreja de Santiago, and the Igreja da Pé da Cruz.

To discover the city of Beja, the Planície Dourada Tourism Region promotes a guided tour of the city through an audio system, and offers 30 Petras (bicycles). The month of March is advisable, when Ovibeja takes place, a fair in which regional agricultural production is the pretext to show the culture, ethnography and economy of the region.

(source: www.visitportugal.com )