At Lisboa Secreta our main mission is to uncover the city’s secrets, but we also like to travel and discover the best-kept mysteries that Portugal has to offer. That’s why, this time, we’re taking you to Alto Alentejo to discover the Roman city of Ammaia.
Located about 230 kilometers from Lisbon, in the heart of the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park, in the municipality of Marvão (Portalegre district), Ammaia is a semi-hidden jewel of Portuguese heritage. Considered by some experts to be the “Conímbriga of the Alto Alentejo”, it remained ‘lost’ for a long time.
From an important city in the Roman Empire to a myth, the passing of the centuries has not been forgiving. However, this archaeological treasure was rediscovered in the 20th century. And even today it continues to surprise archaeologists and visitors with new finds and mysteries.
The origins of the city of Ammaia
According to information from the City of Ammaia Foundation, this is one of the most important Roman remains in the north of Alentejo, covering a central area consisting of Quinta do Deão and Tapada da Aramenha, covering a total of around 25 hectares.
With this number you can get an idea of the size of the space, but to tell its story you have to go back to the end of the 1st century BC and the beginning of the 1st century AD, when this place established itself as an important administrative and urban center of Roman Lusitania.
Located next to the river Sever and on an access route to Mérida (a Spanish city then known as Emerita Augusta), Ammaia prospered due to the exploitation of mineral resources and road connections.
According to the Foundation responsible for managing the site, it was grantedMunicipium status in the 1st century AD. Despite the golden era, with the decline of the Roman Empire, the city lost its vigor and was abandoned.
What to visit on this journey through time?
As we mentioned earlier, the Roman city was ‘lost’ until it was rediscovered in the 20th century. Due to the importance and grandeur of the site, its ruins were classified as a National Monument in 1949, but it wasn’t until the end of 1994 that they began to be properly studied and valued.
If you have a special passion for history, this place is definitely worth a visit. What’s more, its proximity to the town of Marvão, home to one of Portugal’s most impressive castles, makes this a different kind of getaway.
In this sense, we recommend a visit to the Museum, the gateway to the archaeological site, as well as a look at the permanent exhibition with countless materials collected during the excavations. Afterwards, let yourself be enveloped by the ruins , with special emphasis on the baths, forum and temple.
Brief curiosities
As this is a place with so much history, it’s not surprising that there are several curiosities associated with it. For example, many of Ammaia’s materials were reused by the local inhabitants from the 16th century onwards in the construction of churches and buildings.
For centuries, the Roman city of Ammaia lived forgotten under the land that once saw it flourish. After a golden period, the remains of the ancient city disappeared from the visible landscape, remaining silently buried until the excavations were carried out.
From the loose stones scattered across the Alentejo fields to the creation of this archaeological center, a long time has passed, but the abandoned echoes of an almost obliterated city have survived. For all these reasons and more, Ammaia is a true open-air archaeological laboratory: a permanent invitation to discover the Roman legacy!
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