The main human relics from prehistoric times are megalithic constructions. (Megalith means “large stones”)
Portugal has hundreds, if not thousands, of megalithic sites. These are broken down into the following categories:
- Tombs
- Standing Stones
- Alignments or circles
Many of these sites are visitable, but some are on private land. As archaeologists excavate these sites, any artefacts of human creation are kept in museums or universities.
Use the map at the right to search among the various megalithic sites (highlighted map markers indicate megaliths that are described on this website), or browse through the entries below. More posts are added as sites get visited.
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Tholos do Monge
Standing at the top of one of the highest peaks in the Sintra Mountains, you can see all around: Guincho Beach, the Atlantic Ocean, the Setúbal peninsula and the Arrabida Coast. Look down at your feet, and amidst the jumble of stones a circular structure stands out. This massive chamber is part of the Tholos…
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Menir do Padrão
Standing tall on a hillside in the Algarve, this solitary menir bears witness to the vast stretches of time between us and the earliest occupation of this land by people, over seven thousand years ago. This menir is a tall stone of white limestone, the only one standing of a group that originally might have…
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Anta da Coutada de Barbacena
Walking through the fields in this Alto Alentejo countryside, horses gambol around you. Splash across the small stream and look up at the hill before you. A towering eucalyptus tree near its top stands out in the landscape, and you make for it. As you climb the hill, the trees clear out and you see…
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Menir da Cabeça do Rochedo
Standing midway up a hill, overlooking the Algarve coast, the scrubland stretches around you. The power lines above emit a faint hum and you can hear some sounds of work from the nearby quarry. Before you, the battered and scarred stone leans slightly to one side, as if it was tired from its long vigil.…
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Anta do Estanque
Walk through the quiet village of São Geraldo, and turn down the small lane of Rua Esquerda. Say “bom dia” to the old gentlemen sitting in chairs on the lane outside their houses, having a chat. Then, when you see the silver metal historic plaque from Évora Turismo at the end of the lane, look…
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Dólmen de Monte Serves
Also known as: monumento megalítico de Monte Serves The wind blows gently through the tall grass on the hillside as you look out over the broad estuary of the Rio Tejo. Squint and you can see the Vasco da Gama bridge stretching across the water. Every few minutes you can see an aeroplane taking off…
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Praia das Maçãs Prehistoric Monument
Portuguese: Monumento pré-histórico da Praia das Maçãs Also known as: Tholos do Outeiro das Mós, or Tholos da Praia das Maçãs August 2024: The site is currently undergoing repairs and cannot be visited. In the Neolithic era, about 4,000BC, an artificial cave was dug on this site. It had a corridor and central burial chamber…
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Pala da Moura
Also known as: Anta de Vilarinho da Castanheira Picnic tables invite you to sit, rest, and refresh yourself. The pine trees sway and whisper softly in the breeze. Meanwhile, the ancient stone construction reminds you that people were here thousands of years ago, making their own special place. Look closely: what secrets might it hold?…
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Necrópole Megalítica de Chão Redondo
ALSO IDENTIFIED AS: Dólmen 2 (or Anta 2) de Chão Redondo, or Monumentos Megalíticos do Chão de Redondo From a distance, it doesn’t seem very extraordinary. There’s a remnant of the large mound of stone and earth which originally covered the prehistoric tomb. The tomb itself looks fairly typical of an average-sized neo-chalcolithic chamber tomb.…
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Anta da Comenda Grande
Also known as: Anta da Herdade das Comendas It’s not a famous site, or one particularly noteworthy for archaeological artefacts. The farmer’s fence keeps you from walking in and around the stones. It’s easy to overlook while rushing down the road. But, if you take the time to stop and walk along the edge of…