Alcáçovas is Portugal’s leading centre for making chocalhos, traditional livestock bells. Bell-making is a defining part of the town’s identity and was added to UNESCO’s lists of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding on 1 December 2015. The nomination was submitted by, among others, Turismo do Alentejo, the Câmara Municipal de Viana do Alentejo and the Junta de Freguesia de Alcáçovas.

Chocalhos and Local Culture

The Museu do Chocalho houses more than 5,800 bells and grew out of the workshop of bell-maker João Chibeles Penetra. The collection is therefore connected to the history of a particular craft and its maker. Important for planning: the museum is currently not open to the public; visits are possible only by prior appointment.

The Feira do Chocalho also puts bell-making and Cante Alentejano at the heart of Alcáçovas’ identity. This annual event lasts four days and takes place on the weekend of the fourth Sunday in July. Its programme includes crafts, trade and gastronomy, as well as concerts, an agricultural exhibition, other exhibitions, equestrian and bullfighting activities, and sports. Individual programme items may vary from one edition to the next. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the dates and programme for the relevant edition.

Paço dos Henriques and Igreja Matriz

The Paço dos Henriques is classified as an Imóvel de Interesse Público; the classification dates to 1993. The building houses the Alcáçovas tourist information office. Since 4 September 2021, it has also been home to the permanent exhibition “Paço dos Henriques: História e Memória”. Check the visiting arrangements before your visit to the exhibition. In the wider destination of Viana do Alentejo, the Paço is also associated with the signing of the Treaty of Alcáçovas–Toledo between the Catholic Monarchs and D. Afonso V on 4 September 1479.

Another glimpse into the town’s history can be found at the Igreja Matriz do Salvador, formerly the Igreja Matriz de Santa Maria de Alcáçovas: it was founded in 1308. The church has eight chapels, including the Pantheon of the Henriques de Trastâmara. In the main chapel, a stone coffered vault and polychrome azulejos sit alongside a Mannerist altarpiece that is gilded and polychrome. Different architectural and decorative details can thus be seen side by side within the same church.

Garden, Chapel and Surroundings

The Capela de Nossa Senhora da Conceição and Jardim das Conchas are considered a unique example of the Alentejo’s cultural diversity. Their design incorporates around 26 types of shell, while water also plays a distinct role: it flows from the fountain, along the aqueduct and into the basin. The shell decorations and the watercourse give the ensemble two distinct features—one decorative, the other connected with the flow of water.

The Convento Nossa Senhora da Esperança is about three kilometres from Alcáçovas. It was built over a 15th-century hermitage dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Graça. The convent remains a place of worship and pilgrimage and is dedicated to its patron saint, Nossa Senhora da Esperança.

Walking Route and Getting There

The Rota do Chocalho is a walking route created by the Junta de Freguesia de Alcáçovas. If you plan to follow the route, check its availability before your visit. The N257 is one of the roads providing access to Alcáçovas. This allows the craft tradition, historic buildings and garden to be considered as different highlights of a trip, without presenting them as a fixed walking tour.

Discover more destinations: Alcáçovas, Vila Viçosa, Rio De Moinhos, Estremoz, Evora, Sabugueiro, São Pedro, Redondo

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