The Cromlech of the Almendres (Portuguese: Cromeleque dos Almendres/Cromeleque na Herdade dos Almendres) is a megalithic complex, also called the Almendres Cromlech. It is located 4.5 road kilometers west-southwest of the village of Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, in the civil parish of Nossa Senhora da Tourega e Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, within the municipality of Évora in the Portuguese Alentejo region. This site is home to the largest existing group of arranged menhirs in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the largest in Europe. It includes several megalithic structures, such as cromlechs and menhir stones, that belong to the "megalithic universe of Évora." Similar cromlechs can be found in other parts of the Évora District, like the Portela de Mogos Cromlech and the Vale Maria do Meio Cromlech.
History
These structures were built around the 6th millennium BC. They were found again in 1966 by Henrique Leonor Pina, who was studying the country's rock formations.
When the site was excavated, it revealed different stages of building, including megalithic and Neolithic structures: Almendres I (6000 BC, Early Neolithic), Almendres II (5000 BC, Middle Neolithic), and Almendres III (4000 BC, Late Neolithic). The order of events over time is very complicated and spans from the Neolithic period to the Chalcolithic period. Experts think the monument was used for religious or ceremonial activities or as an early tool for observing the stars.
Architecture
The cromlech is located near the road connecting Évora to Montemor-o-Novo, just after the village of Guadalupe, on the Almendres Estate. It lies in the southwest part of the estate, while the menhir is found on the eastern edge, facing the sunrise over the Serra de Monfurado. A walking path was created by the local government and added to the town's "megalithic route," which connects ancient remains across the region.
The site is arranged in a circle, with about 95 granite stones placed in small groups. The oldest stones, from the Early Neolithic period, form two or three circles of smaller stones on the western side. Middle Neolithic structures include two irregular, concentric ellipses and large menhirs. During the Late Neolithic period, earlier structures were modified, turning the site into a place for social or religious activities. Ninety-two stones are arranged in two groups, aligned with directions linked to the equinox.
Many stones were found where they fell and were rebuilt by Mario Varela Gomes, following research and rediscovery of their original bases. The site’s latitude matches the maximum moon elongation (38.55 degrees for 1500 BC), similar to Stonehenge’s latitude (51.18 degrees for 2000 BC). The Almendres Stones share similarities with the Carnac stones in Brittany, France. These structures were likely built by pre-Celtic people around 3300 BC, with some dating back to 4500 BC. The purpose of these sites remains unclear, but they may have been burial places, religious sites, or used for rituals and tracking the summer solstice.
Most stones are small and grouped, though some are large and round or elliptical. The cromlech covers an area 70 meters wide and 40 meters long, aligned northwest to southeast. The stones show signs of erosion, but some carvings remain, including lines and radial patterns on each stone.
About a dozen stones have carvings, with four having small circular holes. One stone, number 8, has a flat top and dimples, possibly used for observing the spring equinox by placing small stones on the dimples. Observations may also have been made from stone 39, located on the eastern side of the site. Menhir 48 has a simple human-like figure surrounded by circles and a crozier.
A single, tall menhir (about 4.5 meters high and 0.9 meters wide) stands near the residences, 1400 meters northeast of the main site. A line from the cromlech to this menhir points toward the sunrise during the winter solstice.