Historical Background
Chronology: 13th century, founding core of the castle of Monsaraz; 1276, granting by the king a village charter; 14th century, walled fence concluded and Barbacã made; XV century, Audience Palace made; 1561, construction of the Church of Nª Sª da Lagoa; 1644, renovation of the defensive system with modern Vauban-type, Nicolau de Langres and Jean Gillot.
In the mid-19th century, the church privatization assets and a liberal process of ceding the king's lands, acquired by large landowners, took place. The inhabitants of Monsaraz lost the possibility to lease lands, hunger and unemployment followed. In the beginning of 20th century the train arrived but not the village: Monsaraz was almost deserted, a prosperous new city in the prairie appeared: Regengos de Monsaraz.
In 1946 classification as National Monument. In the 50-60´s and until 1974 (democratic revolution) a banker (heritage lover) bought 75% of the buildings to make a private restoration. Monsaraz was one of the first urban heritage fortified villages to be preserve in Portugal. From then until now successive plans and projects happened do deal with urban, architectonic, fortification and preserved cultural landscape heritage.
Plan of Praça de Monsaraz by Miguel Luiz Jacob, 1755
(Arquivo Histórico Militar, Portugal)
(Arquivo Histórico Militar, Portugal)