Eastern Way

We leave the village within the ancient stone walls that already then led people to Mértola. We enter the protected area of the Natural Park of Vale do Guadiana and, further away from the Algarve, we follow the Way to the north, towards the deep Alentejo. Here, the green of the juniper scrublands and the singular holm oak forest are worth notice. In spring, the centenary blossomed tamarisk trees add some yellow and pink to it. We breathe the fresh air and go on our way!

Main Church of Mértola
The former mosque of Mértola is the most relevant monument of the locality. It dates back to the second half of the 19th century and was built using Roman and later elements. Even today, two Islamic capitals from the 19th century are still preserved, reused from another mosque that existed in the city. In the origin, the mosque was bigger than the current temple, and still preserves four horseshoe arches and the mihrab, a niche oriented to Mecca to where the believers direct their prayers. With the conquest by the order of Santiago, the new lords transformed the mosque into a church and imposed its symbol on the façade. Inside, the current appearance of the roof, in a vault dates back to the Manueline era, replacing the previous wooden solution. The temple was then reduced to four sections instead of the original six. A new main portal was built, already Renaissance and designed by the sculptor André Pilarte, at the time established in the eastern Algarve. The promoter of these works was the commander D. João de Mascarenhas, whose memory was immortalized in a corbel of the interior, which contains a human bust and the inscription “IOANE”.

Mértola

Mértola was the Portuguese headquarters of the Order of Santiago since 1248 (ten years after the conquest of the city by the spatharii and 1482. In fact, it enjoyed the status of seat only until 1316, as after the conquest of the Algarve, the Santiagan preferred to reinforce the heritage they held in Alcácer do Sal, although the “capital” was still in Mértola. The Order left deep marks on the city’s history and heritage, with special mention to the construction of the church of Santiago (today the sacred art nucleus of the municipal museum) and the artistic patronage of the Mascarenhas family, the town’s spathari commanders.

The portal of the church of Misericórdia/Núcleo de Arte Sacra (former Igreja de Santiago) dates back to 1558, the approximate period of temple’s construction and for the creation of the Misericórdia de Mértola. The church has, however, a previous origin. A visit that took place in 1565 clarifies that it had been dedicated to Santiago until the residents instituted the Misericórdia there. It was the closest church to the city’s medieval port, which was accessed through the Porta da Ribeira gate. The current feature of the temple dates back to a renovation carried out in the 16th century and its adaptation to the museum nucleus of sacred art occurred in the 90s of the 20th century when the multi-centered museum of Mértola was established.

The former church of Santiago’s altarpiece, dated from the end of the 19th century and attributed to the painter Júlio Dinis de Carvo, is another work of art that evokes the figure of Santiago as Matamouros (The Moor-slayer). The apostle is mounted on a white horse and has his sword drawn, while he holds the Order of Santiago’s banner with his other hand, in a composition model that is often repeated. Commander D. João Mascarenhas commissioned a large altarpiece for the main church in 1532. The works took a long time and, in 1554, it was already placed on the north side of the church, but still lacked the color application. The main panel is dedicated to the Calvário (Calvary), but the predella contains the representation of Santiago Matamouros, again on horseback, with sword and banner of the Order in his hands, attacking a group of infidels, one of them wearing a turban. The second panel of this altarpiece is also preserved, dedicated to the Pentecost, and where the figure of Santiago also stands out, with the pilgrim’s attributes.

Castle of Mértola
Enjoying a privileged strategic position, at the confluence of the Oeiras stream with the Guadiana river, the castle of Mértola played an essential role in the Middle Ages, both on the Muslim and Christian sides. The origins, however, seem to be Roman, when a first defensive stronghold was defined. In Islamic times, the city was the most important river port of the Guadiana, where men and cargoes between Mérida and the Atlantic Ocean, used to pass. The Islamic occupation was growing from the 19th century onwards to the point where Mértola was the capital of a small independent kingdom in the 30s and 40s of the 11th century and again in the mid 12th century. Integrated into the Almohad block at the end of that century, it was subject to great improvements, as shown by the elbow entry of the fortress, typical of Muslim defensive systems. The city was conquered by the Knights of the Order of Santiago in 1238. Soon after, recognizing the relevance of the city as a point of support for the conquests of the Algarve, the spathari installed here its seat, a statute that lasted until 1316. D. Paio Peres Correia, master of the Order of Santiago, passed a charter to the town in 1254. And it was another master, D. João Fernandes, who, around 1292, promoted the construction of the castle’s keep, still remaining today and rising to almost 30 meters high.