2005 © Oficina Virtual de Turismo
The “Praça Grande”, currently Praça do Giraldo, is the heir of the “floor”
where the first Évora fair was held, in the reign of D. Dinis. It was a
confluence of the urban routes polarised by the mendicant monasteries of S.
Francis and S. Domingos. Once the Cerca Velha had been passed, Évora
grew towards the 14th Century wall. Here was the political and
religious centre: on one side the town council buildings and on the other the
church of Stº. Antão, which began the Alentejan “chão” style and which was
built on the primitive Gothic church of Santantoninho. This is also a
day-to-day area. In the arcades all around it shops and stall were (and are)
run. This was the site of inquisition trials, tournaments, jousts and
bullfights (the Rua dos Touros (Bull Street) nearby, reminds us of this). This
is where the whipping post and the Casa de Ver o Peso (Weighing House);
this is where the old Crown Lodgings were, which took up the block between the
former Rua da Cadeia and Rua do Raimundo. This is where the fountain from D.
Henrique’s time is located, built over an old drinking fountain that was part
of an arch, and was where the water, brought 18 km from the Prata springs,
ended up.
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