November 2023 : Day excursion to Ribat de Arrifana, Aljezur castle and museum
Repeated : January 2024


For this day excursion we were kindly guided by Rui Parreira.


The Ribât de Arrifana is located on top of high cliffs at the Vicentine coast close to Aljezur. The site was created in approximately 1130 by the very religious sufi master Ibn Qasî as a mix of a coastal fortress and a place dedicated to prayers. It was abandoned again in 1151. The Ribât contains eight mosques where warrior monks prayed, as well as a minaret, a madrasa and accommodation. During excavations many objects were found there. The Ribât also included a necropolis where 61 graves were discovered, oriented northeast-southwest. Corpses were buried according to Muslim tradition, ie, laid down in lateral positions with faces turned southeast (Mecca). The history of the Ribât and its occupiers is very much intertwined with the History of Portugal, namely with Portugal's first King Afonso I.
The request for participating in this excursion by our members was so overwhelming that Rui agreed to do another excursion in January. Unfortunately the weather gods were not in our favor this day. Pictures  are taken by Eric Roth.
After the visit to the Ribat we went to visit the Aljezur Castle which is located on top of a hill close to Aljezur. The occupation of the hill started in the Bronze Age, and continued through the Lusitanian and Visigothic periods till the Islamic era . The castle was built to protect local population as well as storing food. It was conquered in the mid 1200's by Christian soldiers. It was the last military installation in the Algarve to be conquered by the Portuguese. The 1755 earthquake caused the destruction of all the homes in the adjacent town, and demolished most of the castle. Still today, the castle is a reference to Aljezur, its history and a wonderful place to visit and enjoy the scenery.
After lunch we visited the Aljezur Museum which is located in the historical quarters of Aljezur and is managed by the Aljezur Association for Heritage Protection (ADPHA). The Museum is divided in three sections: Archaeology, Islamic Collections and Ethnographic Centre. The Archeology Center presents a vast set of objects, testifying more than 10,000 years of human presence in the Aljezur region.
The Islamic Collections gather many findings in the municipality of Aljezur. The exhibition focuses mainly on ceramic materials. The exhibition presents information on the use of the pieces on display in everyday life and their relationship with other elements of Islamic culture. In 2012 the Heritage Protection Association received an AAA grant for the restoration of an Islamic ceramic vessel (see picture).


The Ethnographic Center shows many objects linked to everyday life at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, highlighting ancient implements related to agricultural, livestock and fishing activities typical of life at sea and on land