Estremoz

Estremoz is a Portuguese city of 14,000 people (2011) in the Alto Alentejo region, often known as one of the 'three marble towns' in Alentejo.

Understand




Together with the two other marble towns, Borba and Vila Viçosa, Estremoz (sh-tr(ih)-MOHSH, /ʃ.tɾɨ.ˈmoʃ/) is internationally known for its fine to medium marble that occurs in several colours: white, cream, pink, grey or black and streaks with any combination of these colours. Especially the pink marble (Rosa Aurora and Estremoz Pink) is in high demand.

This marble has been used since antiquity as a material for sculpture and architecture. The first exports in Roman times were probably for the construction of the Circus Maximus of Emerita Augusta, in modern-day Spain. The Portuguese navigators exported this marble to Africa, India and Brazil. The marble from this region was used in famed locations such as the Monastery of Jerónimos, the Monastery of Batalha, the Monastery of Alcobaça and the Tower of Belém.

There is so much marble around Estremoz that it is used everywhere; even the doorsteps, pavements and the cobble stones are made out of marble. This marble is even converted into whitewash for painting the houses.

Get in
Estremoz lies along the A6 motorway (Autoestrada Marateca–Caia), providing access from Évora and from Badajoz, Spain and a junction with A2 (Autoestrada do Sul) from Lisbon and the Algarve.



See
The top of the town with the castle, pousada and a museum, all constructed from marble, is very striking but it's also interesting to find pavements and staircases at very modest houses built from the same material.
 * A Manueline style pillory.
 * A Manueline style pillory.
 * Convento São Francisco. From the 13th century.
 * Convento São Francisco. From the 13th century.

Buy
There's a big Saturday market on the large and unmissable Rossio carpark like a hybrid somewhere between a car boot sale, a flea market and a farmers' produce market. In particular there are about five adjacent stalls all selling delicious ewe and goat milk cheeses.

Go next

 * Castelo de Vide
 * Elvas
 * Évora
 * Marvão
 * Portalegre
 * Vila Viçosa