Archaeological Site of Alto da Vigia

About

The Archaeological Site of Alto da Vigia (Portuguese: Estação Arqueológica de Alto da Vigia, [ˈaltu ðɐ viˈʒi.ɐ], "Lookout Height") is an archaeological site associated with Roman interventions in the Portugal, situated along the Praia das Maçãs in the civil parish of Colares, in municipality of Sintra.

History: The existence of a Roman sanctuary dates to the 2nd or 3rd century AD, when the lands overlooking the coast were dedicated to Sun, Moon and Imperial cult. At that time a circular temenos, an open air religious space, was used by holders of high imperial positions in the territory. Little is known about the intervening years, although a Moorish settlement occupied the lands sometime in the 12th century. The group eventually disappeared, and the area was abandoned. Much of the stonework was used by locals to build their own residences or used in public construction. The re-discovery of these ruins date back to Valentim Fernandes in 1505; and Francisco de Holanda, around 1541, with the latter including designs and observations of the structures, which he observed were a Roman sanctuary. The identification of these ruins, corresponded to the first archeological discovery in...