History and Archaeology

The region`s History is based on successive invasion waves. This fact, however, must be faced in a positive way, as the legacy left here by ancient civilizations, Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs and Christians, marked indelibly Culture, Architecture and traditional ways of tilling the soil.

The most ancient remains found in some archaeological sites, take us back to the Paleolithic. The Guadiana River has always worked as a corridor for new settlements and ideas. Some villages, such as Mértola, reached high development standards in Roman and Arab ages. With the Reconquest, in the 13th Century, some cities declined while others, such as Serpa, Moura, Noudar and Mourão, reached a strategical importance. Their positions, near the border with Spain, is not indifferent to this situation. For centuries, the two nations were in constant struggle. Some border strongholds, such as serpa (Portugal) and Aroche (Spain), constantly changed hands until the early 18th century.