Roman Villa
of São Cucufate

The site of the Roman villa of São Cucufate, classified as a National Monument on June 28, 1947, was already occupied at the end of the 4th millennium B.C. since lithic and ceramic items from that date were found at the site.

The Roman villa that was built here in the 1st century A.D. was restructured in the middle of the 2nd century A.D. and for a third time in the second half of the 4th century A.D. This last construction campaign would break the architectural model of the first two phases, with the space of the pars urbana (the main house) closed upon itself and centred around one or two inner courtyards. The last phase preferred an architectural style open to the outdoors, developed in two linear plans with recovered façades.

In addition to the main house, the villa’s pars rustica (dedicated to agricultural and livestock activities) was also significant, with structures such as barns, cellar, presses, forges, chicken coops, cattle yards, and shreds to store straw or firewood.

In the Early Middle Ages, a monastery dedicated to Saint Cucufate and entrusted to the canons of Saint Vicente de Fora, from Lisbon, was built here. For this construction, part of the North end of the villa’s ground floor was adapted to the church, which was decorated with murals that are still visible. It is known that José de Escovar painted the altarpiece of the main altar at the end of the 16th century or the beginning of the 17th century. This monastery was abandoned still in the 17th century, but its church remained open until 1723 when its last chaplain died.