Great Dolmen of Zambujeiro — Attraction in Évora

The great dolmen of Zambujeiro is a must-see monument, if for no other reason than its status as the largest dolmen in megalithic Europe. The site has many other attractions, in spite of the sloppy archaeological restoration that was inflicted on it during the twentieth century. One hopes that the dolmen will be restored to something resembling its original grandeur. Zambujeiro was constructed into the side of a hill and is generally oriented east/west, similar to its close neighbor, the Cromlech of Almendres. The monument’s width is between 5 to 6 meters across and 4 to 5 meters high. It is braced in several areas by flat stone piles, and its broken capstone has been removed and lies to the west nearby. The monument is easy to reach by car and well signposted. It is popular with New Agers, Neopagans, and neoshamans, many of whom come from long distances to practice their rituals of nature spirituality. During my site visits I have discovered several small stone altars in the dolmen’s central chamber. Zambujeiro was classified a national monument...

Poor maintenance, terrible access, scarce and miserable information... A rusty metal structure covers everything with a decadent and impoverished atmosphere that is hardly environmentally friendly! The circuit is poorly marked. It is a shame, a misery. The monument is poorly preserved with bricks blocking access instead of removable structures with information. There is no neighboring support structure, no bathrooms or any interpretation center, except for the distant center located at the entrance to the Almendres Cromlech. What a sad reflection of a country that does not respect its history...

Beware! The “road” to access this attraction is in extremely poor condition. If you’re in a rental, I hope you got good insurance! There are also signs posted here and there saying “tourist hunting zone.” I’m not sure if it’s a joke or if tourists really aren’t welcome anymore.

The Dolmen is interesting enough - you can go right up to it but you can’t go inside. It is neat to see and touch a 5000+ year old artifact!

But is it worth the effort to reach? I guess that depends on how much you like...