Romano-Moorish in origin, the castle which crowns the steep Elvas streets was
rebuilt for Sancho II in 1226. It has been subjected to further remodelling
over the years, principally by King Dinis and then in the late 15th century
under João II, whose arms, which incorporate a pelican, can be seen above
the entrance. The great keep was erected in 1488. Until the end of the 16th
century the castle was used as the residence of the mayors of Elvas.

Until 1882, this was the cathedral of Elvas. Built in the early 16th century,
its architect was Francisco de Arruda, who also designed the town’s
impressive aqueduct. His Manueline south portal survives, but much of the
church has been modified. The azulejos  in the nave date
from the early 17th century.

This archaeological museum is set to move to a new site in Rua do Açolges (no
date as yet). The cool rooms in the present building display a collection
which ranges from Roman water pots to prehistoric artefacts. The associated
library, which is entered by a tiled porch, contains more than 50,000 books,
including a number of rare early works.

The plain exterior belies the wealth within the walls of this little
16th-century church. The octagonal floor plan originates from the layout of
an earlier Templar church, but its appeal is in the fine marble columns and
spectacular yellow and blue azulejos  added in the 17th
century. These line the walls and reach up into the cupola.

Just behind the church is the archway of the Arab Porta da Alcáçova, a
vestige of Elvas’s Moorish fortifications. In the adjacent Largo do Dr.
Santa Clara is a pillory, carved in typically exuberant Manueline style and
still armed with its hooks.

Until the 16th century the only source of drinking water in Elvas was the
Alcalá well in the west of the town. When this began to fail, alarmed
citizens conceived the notion of an aqueduct to bring water from the spring
at Amoreira, some 8 km (5 miles) away. Work, begun in 1498, was not finished
until 1622. The great round buttresses and arches of architect Francisco de
Arruda march across the valley and still deliver water to the fountain in
the Largo da Misericórdia. The aqueduct has a total of 843 arches in up to
five tiers and in places towers to over 30 m (100 ft).