The resort, oriented towards Northwest / Southeast, includes several divisions, such as a locker room, several baths and a pool. The cured meats, east of the resort, are composed of several cetárias or salting tanks. A street divided the two complexes.

Probably built in the centuries II or III after the birth of Christ, the resort initially simple, it was being expanded with new divisions, reaching its peak in the fourth century. The cured meats, date unknown construction, labored up the centuries IV or V.

It was rebuilt in the ninth century, during the reign of Ben Bekr, prince of a small Muslim kingdom which became independent of the Emirate of Córdoba.

During the Almohad period they were erected two towers albarrã one of the main entrances, set now known as “Arc rest”.

With the conquest of the city by the forces of Afonso III of Portugal (1249), its walls were rebuilt. At this stage, the urban fabric corresponded to two distinct areas:

the so-called “Vila Adentro” (now the parish of Santa Maria), where were located the worship, the Jewish Quarter and the homes of Christians; and the “Ribeira”, residential area of ​​social class higher level.

In the current downtown installed the Mouraria, where since 1269, the Moors were forced to reside.

Later, under King John III of Portugal, this determined, in 1541, to repair the walls of Faro. These would, however, severely punished when the invasion Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1596), and immediately begun its repair, which lasted for decades.

Post reconquista (Christian): chapel building N. Senhora da Assunção. With the reconquest, domestic spaces have undergone the necessary changes and modifications, according to the uses and customs of a new culture. The construction of the chapel of Our Lady of the Castle or the Assumption, now in ruins, it stands out clearly from the other buildings. It is, as is evident from a building already the Christian medieval period, although undergone several changes over time, it is believed that in the eighteenth century, as present the current configuration.

In addition to the architectural structures, of which stands the castle itself, in the archaeological works also emerged, a vast collection with various timelines. Part of this estate is integrated in the exhibition of the Municipal Museum Archeology Albufeira.

The pieces on display from the Castle of Paderne, are divided into three different times. The transition between the Islamic and the Christian medieval period, the third part are presented the Modern Age.

Igreja Matriz de Paderne – Church of Paderne

The construction of this religious temple started at the beginning of the century. XVI time the population was moved from inside the castle for the current parish. Simple architectural facade. Inside, longitudinal plant with three naves of five sections, having been added in the last end of the century. XIX. conjugates various styles: Renaissance, Baroque and Manueline, reconstruction result in successive seasons. Noteworthy are the altarpieces of the chapel and the holy altar, which are baroque. Another of the wealth of this church, is your booty sculptural, with century copies. XVII and XVIII, with special highlight, the baroque image Archangel Michael.

Ermida da N.ª S.ª do Pé da Cruz – Chapel of Nossa Senhora Foot of the Cross

This Hermitage will have been built in the seventeenth century, has undergone restoration work in 1711. Inside you can admire his altarpiece of the early eighteenth century (about 1715), in the case of a testimony of the Baroque period.

In dominant position over the village and the river of Aljezur, although they are in one of the castles figured in the seven corners of paternal coat, it is almost unknown in the Portuguese tourist itineraries, in the case of one of the most significant monuments Algarve.

Recent archaeological research by the Archaeology Unit of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina Natural Park, in partnership with the Municipality of Aljezur, revealed that the early human occupation of the site dates back to prehistoric times, bringing to light layers with traces of Age Bronze (c. 3,000 AP), the Iron Age and the Roman period (between centuries IV and BC).

At the time of the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, the course of the Aljezur river was navigable and this town constituted in important river port. Dates from this period, in the early stages (before the X century), the primitive fortification, which, in general, showed polygonal her subsisting significant sections of walls, a tower with a circular plan and the cistern. Later, in late stage in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, they were raised inside enclosure several residential structures and two silos. At this stage, the castle would have integrated the Almohad defensive system of the Silves region, which then stretched from the current councils of Lagoa and Albufeira to Aljezur and south of the Alentejo coast.

Belonging to the territory of Ossónoba, the early occupation of the village dates back to the first half of the century AD its location favored the use of maritime resources and trafficking of goods, attested by the existence of a port.

In the second century, and particularly from the third century, the residential area has acquired a significant dimension. The water was an ever-present element, gushing of fountains and statues of the lake garden, central space around which the whole house was developing: a large reception room and summer dining room, the kitchen, the service areas, which included a cryptoporticus.

The walls were coated with plaster painted to fresh with bright colors and floral and geometric motifs. The floor was decorated with multicolored mosaics. The sculptures of gods and men decorated the interior spaces, harmonizing a fantastic set of color and stone cutting.

Little is known about the local production economy, but tanks with several workshops indicate the manufacture of cooked fish or, more likely, the dyeing fabric from purple. The finding of large amounts of imported elements, amphorae, small lamps, dishes and glasses, demonstrates the integration of the Cerro da Vila in the commercial network of the Roman Empire.

The Cerro da Vila lords were made bury in mausoleums with columbarium, a crypt with small side niches for placing the urns containing ashes. In later time, it grew a vast cemetery with graves of burial, only partially uncovered.

A set of silos of the Islamic era, open within the Roman houses, denounces the continuing occupation of buildings. Having finally the valuation and presentation of the site to the public, was built a site museum where is patent a monographic exhibition.

History / Background History:

Milreu is the testimony of an important “villa” rustic Roman séc.I inhabited since the Christian era, with traces of occupation continued until the century. XI.

Located near the present village of Estoi and about 8 km from the city of Ossónoba (now Faro), Milreu benefited from mountain springs then there existing, whose water was driven by gravity, satisfying the everyday needs of rural and also strong experience playful.

In the fourth century was erected a temple richly decorated and kept still until the start of the vaults, for the private worship of the owning family. The temple was Christianized in the fourth century. In this period created a cemetery with graves surrounding the podium and with a small mausoleum.

In the fifteenth century on private divisions of ancient Roman house was erected a house / fortress, with strong cylindrical buttresses, which now constitutes a unique example of civil architecture rural.

The villa Milreu have a dimension of tens of hectares. Archaeological excavations have revealed a significant amount of archaeological finds, including the collection of mosaics is the most important estate, highlighting the still grounds relating to the marine environment.

The coatings with marmóreos dating from the third century AD, enhances the taste for oriental customs through the use of marble of various colors that sometimes coat the entire surface of a room.

The decorative pottery, as the brick was applied when the marble was scarce. The artist’s imagination, taste and fashion of the commissioner of time, provided the parts where getting translated the effort and passion for beautifying the town.

Thus, the walls of the finest divisions of the house were covered with rich marble and stonework in the form of pilasters addorsed to the walls, topped by Corinthian capitals, or naturalistic elements.

In the intermediate spaces, the walls plastered received the paintings in fresco: geometric compositions or paintings inspired naturalist simulated idealized landscapes. The location of the former is, in most cases, footers and only rarely on other areas of the walls or vaults.

In Milreu, you can see some traces of parietal decoration.

Decorative sculpture are striking portraits of emperors Agrippina, the young, Adriano and Gallienus.

The spaces intended for visitors in villae, as the atrium, the peristyle gardens, fountains, spas ninféus and were often decorated with carvings.

Memories of Monument

The discovery of the ruins

Since its discovery in the sixteenth century, the ruins of Milreu been the target of several considerations on the purpose for which they had intended. Defended ones – André de Resende (XVI century); D.Francisco Barreto (seventeenth century); Father Lima (Séc.XVIII), “the website of Milreu” was the former headquarters of Ossónoba (now the city of Faro). In years 30-40 century. XX, Abel Viana Lyster and Mario Franco, supported by research of a geological / archeological, argued that the former Ossónoba be tracked in Faro, where the current is off da Sé Milreu would then, in your opinion, a resort luxury and rest to enjoy the Ossonobenses.
The first archaeological investigations were carried out by Milreu Estacio da Veiga in 1877. Followed him Botto Canon Pereira, Santos Rocha and Leite de Vasconcelos. In the twentieth century – the ’60s – the German Archaeological Institute, provided important archaeological campaigns in Milreu, directed by Theodor Hauschil. Archaeologists uncovered put above the building complex of the century. III. Have yet to explore the initial constructions of séc.I., with mud walls based on masonry bases and on whose ruins were erected buildings more late.

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