Almendres Cromlech

The stones stand on a slope of cork oaks, unfenced and unattended, in two joined enclosures - an older oval and a later ellipse - built and rebuilt over roughly three thousand years from the sixth millennium BC. There are close to a hundred of them, rounded granite blocks worn smooth, some carrying faint carved circles and crook shapes that only appear in raking light. The alignment relates to sunrise positions, which is easiest to believe standing at the eastern end early on a clear morning. A single tall menhir stands alone about a kilometre away, and the huge dolmen of Zambujeiro is a short drive off. Nothing is signposted much, and nothing is roped off.

History

The stones were raised from the 6th millennium BC, in phases dated to about 6000, 5000 and 4000 BC, and the site was rediscovered in 1966 by Henrique Leonor Pina while doing fieldwork for the country's geological maps. It is the largest group of structured menhirs on the Iberian Peninsula (Wikipedia, Almendres Cromlech).

What you'll find

• The main ellipse - the larger enclosure of standing stones on the open slope.
• The carved stones - faint circles and crook motifs visible only in low light.
• The Almendres menhir - a single tall stone standing alone in the trees nearby.
• Anta Grande do Zambujeiro - a very large dolmen chamber a short drive away.

When to go

Early morning or the last hour of light: the carvings and the slope only read when the sun is low, and midday flattens everything. Spring brings wildflowers between the stones. The access track is rough and turns to mud after rain, which is worth checking before committing a small hire car.

Before you go

There is nothing here but stones in a field - no visitor centre, no toilets, no shade and almost no interpretation, which leaves some people wondering what they drove out for. The last stretch of track is unsurfaced and jolting. Tour groups arrive in bursts and fill the small clearing. The Zambujeiro dolmen is often fenced off for safety.

Nearby

Evora's walled centre is twenty minutes east, with more dolmens scattered across the surrounding farmland.

Key facts