Alter do Chão

Alter do Chão is a town with two famous names to its credit: a medieval castle rebuilt by King Pedro I, and the oldest stud farm in the world still working from its original site, where the grey Alter Real horses — the pride of Portuguese equestrian art — have been bred since the 18th century.

A castle and the horses of kings

The castle’s square keep rises some 44 metres over the little town, its Gothic portal and marble inscription marking the rebuilding ordered by Pedro I in 1357; the fortress later passed to the Constable Nuno Álvares Pereira and, by inheritance, to the House of Braganza. Four kilometres away, behind the walls of the Tapada do Arneiro estate, lies the Coudelaria de Alter — founded in 1748 in the spirit of the royal stud farms of João V, it is the oldest Portuguese stud farm and the only one in the world running without interruption on its founding site. Visits take in the courtyards, the chapel and the stables, with falconry displays on some days. The region is castle country: pair the visit with Marvão y Castelo de Vide, both a short drive north.

What to see

• The castle keep and its vaulted hall
• The Coudelaria de Alter and its Alter Real horses
• The old town, pillory and parish church
• The Tapada do Arneiro estate landscape
• The nearby castles of Alter Pedroso and Marvão

Practical information

Alter do Chão lies in the Alto Alentejo, about half an hour from Portalegre and two hours from Lisbon. Stud-farm visits are guided and run Tuesday to Sunday, generally at 10.30 and 15.00; booking ahead is recommended. Castle visits are free.

Image credit: Castelo de Alter do Chão by FenandoLBMaria — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.