The region
Its location and natural conditions have always been a reason for the settlement of populations in this region, with traces of occupation dating back to prehistoric times in various locations within the municipality.
Among these traces of occupation, one of the most important is the Roman city of Miróbriga, which was Romanized from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD. During this period, it became the main Roman city on the western coast south of the Tagus River, where there was a forum with its temples, baths, and the only known Roman hippodrome in Portugal. Today, the archaeological site of Miróbriga remains one of the most important tourist attractions in this region.
It was around the 8th century that the Moors reached the territory, building the castle on the hill in front of the Roman city; it is even thought that the name Kassem (Cacém) is connected to the tribe that dominated this region: the 'ben Kassim'.
The Islamic occupation ended in 1217, when it definitively returned to the possession of the Christians, having been donated by King D. Afonso II to the Order of Santiago da Espada. The medieval borough of Sant’Iago de Kassem was already of great importance in the 13th century, and between 1315 and 1336, by donation of King D. Dinis, the town and the castle belonged to Princess D.ª Vetácia Lascaris, Byzantine princess, lady-in-waiting, and friend of Queen Santa Isabel, who resided here and left some unique pieces, such as the bas-relief of "Santiago fighting the Moors", a masterpiece of medieval sculpture, and the relic of the Holy Wood.
After her death, it returned to the Order of Santiago and became the seat of the municipality in 1512, the date on which D. Manuel I granted it the charter of privileges.
After the remarkable urban expansion it underwent in the 18th century, the municipality asserted itself in the region during the French Invasions, seeking to concentrate the largest possible number of armed men in the Melides/Comporta/Alcácer area. Some individuals associated with Casa de Santiago played crucial roles in this resistance, including José Máximo Coelho Falcão, whose portrait still hangs in the house, and Carlos José Luzeiro de Reboredo, the 5th great-grandfather of the current owner.
The entire region was essentially agricultural, with a variety of landscapes and crops almost unique in the country, producing cereals, fruit, cork, and livestock in a municipality that combines proximity to the beach, the closest ones being about 10 minutes away, with Melides at 15 minutes and Comporta at 30 minutes, boasting a landscape of great variety and scenic beauty.
In Santiago do Cacém and its surroundings, you'll find perfect spots for surfing, diving, trekking, bike rides, horseback riding, motocross, hunting, and fishing, as well as excellent producers of fruit and traditional sweets, handicrafts, restaurants, and monuments worth a careful visit. The historical center of Santiago do Cacém, with the castle, main church of Santiago Maior, and a unique set of manor houses still owned by the same families with connections to the House of Santiago, the Roman ruins of Miróbriga, with their views, the farms around the city, excellent examples of 18th-century recreational farms, are some places to visit.
