Glória: Megaliths, History and Wine

Glória combines natural scenery with a remarkable concentration of cultural history: a church stands on a gentle rise near the Serra d’Ossa, and the surrounding area is marked by megalithic remains. Canal is also part of the picture, with a monument that recalls its distinctive former status. The Quinta do Carmo adds another dimension, offering a tour dedicated to wine production. During your stay, you can therefore focus on prehistoric history, a striking monument or a specific wine experience.

Landscape and megalithic traces

The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Glória stands on a gentle rise in the immediate vicinity of the Serra d’Ossa. The church and the mountain range are thus closely connected, although the church itself is not on the range. The megalithic group of the Serra d’Ossa reaches far back in time: it dates to the Late Neolithic and the Chalcolithic. These two periods place the archaeological remains in a prehistoric context and make them a distinct focus alongside the history of Canal.

One of Estremoz’s two most significant megalithic areas lies in the territory of the former Freguesia of Canal, north of the Serra d’Ossa and within the Freguesia of Glória. The Anta da Figueira offers a vivid example of the connection between monument and landscape: it lies on flat ground on the banks of the Ribeira do Castelo, near Monte da Azenha. A fig tree grows inside its burial chamber—an unusual detail that goes beyond a simple location description.

The Anta da Herdade das Entre Águas is situated in a different setting. It lies in the Serra d’Ossa, on the Herdade das Entre Águas estate, on the southern bank of the Ribeira do Canal. The two descriptions therefore highlight different landscape features: the Anta da Figueira is associated with flat ground and a riverbank, while the other site is located on an estate in the Serra d’Ossa. Together with the megalithic group’s dating, these details offer several ways to explore the area’s prehistory.

Canal and its history

The Pelourinho de Canal stands in a central square in Canal. Canal is now incorporated into the Freguesia of Glória, but the monument recalls the place’s former relative administrative autonomy. Canal once had a status similar to that of a Concelho, but was not in fact a Concelho. The pillory is considered the last surviving evidence of this distinctive status. Its significance is therefore not merely architectural: it links a specific square with the administrative history of the place.

The monument’s form is also clearly defined. The Pelourinho has a broad, high platform paved with stone slabs, with whitewashed sides. Visitors interested in architecture will find here a detail different from those of the burial chambers: rather than prehistoric monuments, the focus is a structure with a visible connection to the former municipal order.

A wine visit with a set time frame

Quinta do Carmo offers a tour of the winemaking and production centre for the Alentejo wines of the Bacalhôa Group. Guided tours are available by reservation only and last an average of one hour. The wine visit is therefore a distinct activity with a stated time frame and a specific requirement. If you would like to include it in your plans, reserve the guided tour in advance.

Which focus suits your stay?

The megalithic sites and the Pelourinho offer different cultural and historical perspectives: one focuses on prehistoric periods and the monuments’ locations, the other on Canal and its former administrative independence. The guided tour at Quinta do Carmo complements these themes with wine production and an average duration of one hour.

Discover more destinations: Bajolo, Veiros, Estremoz, São Lourenço de Mamporcão, Arcos.

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