/guid/9202a8c04000641f800000000077a10c rename

Monsaraz 38°26′36″N 7°22′50″W / 38.44333°N 7.38056°W / 38.44333; -7.38056 is a small fortified...

Monsaraz 38°26′36″N 7°22′50″W / 38.44333°N 7.38056°W / 38.44333; -7.38056 is a small fortified medieval village, that on stands on a hill on the right margin of the Guadiana river in Alentejo – Portugal, a few km from neighboring Spain. It’s also the head of the civil parish of Monsaraz, in the municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz, it has an area of 88.25 km² and a population of 977 (2001). It’s one of the oldest Portuguese towns southern of the Tagus river. It has been occupied since pre-historic times, existing on its vicinities about one and a half hundred megalithic monuments. The hill where this village stand probably was a pre-historic fortification, and in the surrounding area there have been found several pre-roman anthropomorphic graves carved on the stone itself. This primitive town was romanized during the Roman period, and latter was occupied by Visigoths, Arabs, Mozarabs, Jews, and after the reconquista was christianized. The name Monsaraz originates from the word Xarez or Xerez, which were the Iberian equivalents of the Arab words SARIS or SHARISH, the Arabic names of the Gum rockrose (Cistus ladanifer L.). A plant that still today prospers in poor, dry, acidic