Portugal

Vila Viçosa

Paço Ducal

Castle

Praça da RepúblicaPhotos

Vila Viçosa

Vila Viçosa is a village in Alentejo, south of Portugal and it was part of the Visigoth Kingdom till eighth century when Muslim conquest of Hispania and came under Moorish control till 1217.
In 1461, Vila Viçosa came to the hands of the most important nobility houses of Portugal, House of Braganza from Dukes of Braganza, House of Braganza have produced 15 Portuguese monarchs.
One of the principal atraction of Vila Viçosa is the Ducal Palace that was for centuries the seat of House of Braganza.
One of the most notable citizens from Vila Viçosa is Florbela Espanca.

Florbela Espanca

Florbela Espanca (1894-1930) was, for me, the biggest Portuguese female poet. About Florbela Espanca, Fernando Pessoa said she was his twin soul.
She died by suicide on 8 December 1930, her 36th birthday from an overdose of barbiturates.

Here is an excerpt from a poem of Florbela Espanca about her born village Vila Viçosa from her Charneca em Flor book.

Ó minha terra na planície rasa,
Branca de sol e cal e de luar,
Minha terra que nunca viu o mar
Onde tenho o meu pão e a minha casa...

Minha terra de tardes sem uma asa,
Sem um bater de folha... a dormitar...
Meu anel de rubis a flamejar,
Minha terra mourisca a arder em brasa!

-*-

Oh my land in the shallow plain,
Whitened of sun and lime and of moonlight,
My land that has never seen the sea
Where I have my bread and my house ...

My land of afternoons without a wing,
Without a leaf slam ... snoozing ...
My ring of rubies blazing,
My Moorish land burning red hot!