EVORA, or ELVORA, formerly Evora, and the Li &ratites Julia of Julius Cesar, is a city of Portugal, and the principal town in the province of Alemtejo. It is the see of an archbishop, a corregidor, a providor, a juiz, &c. Evora is situated upon a gentle eminence, in a fruitful plain, in the centre or the province, and is surrounded by hills. It consists of narrow crooked streets full of angles, and is distinguished from almost every other town in the kingdom, by its high Gothic buildings, and a number of old Gothic churches. The houses are in general small and low, The cathedral church is situated in the highest part of the town, and has 25 prebends, each enjoys an annual in come of 5000 crusades. The archbishop's house ad joins the cathedral, and not lar from it are the shambles, an old Roman building, in which admirably pm eserved Corinthian columns are connected by a plaster wall. These columns, seven in number, are remarkably beau tiful, and a drawing of them has been given by Murphy. It is said to be the remains of a temple of Diana. Be fore it was converted into the shambles, it had been used by the Moors as a mosque. In the great square, tipd in other parts of the town, there are many other remains of Roman architecture. On the north side,
the aqueduct enters the town. It was begun by Se• torius, but was entirely rebuilt by John Ill. When Mr Link visited this town, a large and massive edifice was building for barracks, which, when finished, will, he supposes, be unique in its kind in Portugal.
Evora was lormerly the seat of an university, but it has totally fallen into decay since the time of Pomba]. There are no manufactures, and no trade in the town.
It contains five parish churches and 23 religious houses. It is defended by twelve bastions, and two demi bastions. " On the north side of Evora," says Mr Link, " the hills rise, being round the town, adorned with gardens, and on their summits with evergreen oaks. The road from _hence to Montemor o Novo, which is five leagues distant, passes over granite hills, partly coveted with corn fields and partly with fine woods of evergreen, oaks, and pastures, which give great variety to the prospect." Population 12,000. West Long. 7° and North Lit. 38° 30'. See Link's Travels in Por tugal, p. 471. (7v)