Évora, City of

   Located about 140 kilometers (68 miles) southeast of Lisbon, the city of Évora is the capital of Évora district, and formerly the capital of old Alentejo province. Its current population is over 35,000. In Roman Lusitania, its name was Liberalitas Julia. Conquered by various invaders thereafter, including the Muslims, the city was reconquered by the Christian Portuguese in 1165. For a time during the 15th and 16th centuries, Évora was the site of the royal court's residence. It has a unique architectural heritage, and its center includes a Roman temple (Temple of Diana), as well as many medieval and Renaissance buildings in Gothic, Manueline, and the later Baroque styles. Like Tomar, Santarém, Braga, Coimbra, and Ôbidos, Évora can be classified as a museum-city. Recognizing this, on 25 November 1986, UNESCO declared Evora's city center to be protected and registered as a "World Treasure" and a "Patrimony of Humanity," the first time such honors were granted to a Portuguese city. In addition to the Corinthian-styled Roman Temple of Diana,

   Évora has the oldest standing aqueduct in Portugal (ca. mid-l6th century). In the 1980s, the University of Évora was revived. There is also a reconstructed Roman aqueduct in Évora, as well as a 13th-century Gothic cathedral.

   See also Provinces, Portugal's historic.