It is a village of the Faro district and the seat of the municipality of 4 parishes Aljezur, Bordeira, Odeceixe, Rogil, and is bordered to the north by Odemira, east of Monchique, southeast of Lagos, southwest by Vila Bishop and west the immensity of the Atlantic Ocean.

The limit northwest of Odemira is demarcated by Ribeira Seixe, and the coast of Aljezur is the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina.

The origins of land Aljezur date back to prehistory, in which seniority is confirmed by the numerous archaeological remains.

Traces of prehistoric past attest to the importance of Aljezur for people like mirenses, 7000 years BC end of the Age glacial. They are nomadic people, hunter / gatherers, hunted and gathered shellfish from the sea with its rudimentary axes, and digging the earth in search of tubers or roots, thus constituting the basis of their food. Also of prehistory is a wide range of parts in polished stone, silex, xert, among others, attributed to the Final Neolithic / Chalcolithic which is on display at the Municipal Museum in Aljezur.

In the Bronze Age between 1200-900 / 800 years BC, there is the necropolis of Corte Cabreira, in the town of Aljezur, discovered in 1990 after being targeted emergency excavations.

Founded in the tenth century by Arabs, Aljezur remained under their control for over five centuries, until the Christian reconquest. It was great military heritage and traditions that the Moorish population left here, including the castle, the cistern, the place names, legends and folktales.

However, it is the Islamic period in the centuries X and XII, which reserves the largest archaeological splendor of the municipality of Aljezur, proven by archaeological excavations carried out either in Aljezur Castle in Ponta da Atalaia (Ribat da Arrifana), Castle Tip – Carrickfergus in New Church Aljezur or in Alcaria, Aljezur parish. This county was founded by the Arabs, who remained long time in the region, leaving customs and traditions that have remained after the Christian reconquest and to the present day. Being the village of Aljezur taken from the Moors in 1249, the reign of King Afonso III, being the hero of making Aljezur the Moors the Master of the Order of Santiago, D. Paio Peres Correia. This achievement occurred at dawn, taking the castle that was in the possession of the Moors. Since then, Christians thanked Maria successful achievement and an expansion of faith became Our Lady of Alva patroness of Aljezur, a fact that is still transmitted orally, through the legend of the Castle Conquest.

In the reign of D. Afonso III, in the thirteenth century, this village was definitely taken by Paio Peres Correia from the Moors. In 1280, replaced by the charter granted by King Dinis, being drawn up in Estremoz and was the first Foral Charter granted by King Dinis to an Algarvian land. On June 1, 1504, D. Manuel reformed Charter Diplomatic D. Dinis and granted new Foral Aljezur, Aljezur granted the title of “Noble and Honorable.” In the seventeenth century was built Fort Arrifana, built in 1635 and rebuilt in 1670, which had as its main function the defense of a fishing frame that already in 1516, existed at this location. At the time after Restoration of Independence, reigns of Alfonso VI and his brother, Regent and then King of Portugal – D. Pedro II, infesting the Portuguese seas Moroccan corsairs disembarking the most favorable sea moorings and devoid of military defense. then started the assault to the nearest towns. Carrickfergus stands between two beaches within easy landing Praia da Bordeira, the north and the Amado Beach to the south. From these beaches were going to the houses and practiced with violence theft and destruction. They carried still can young people of both sexes who were sold as slaves in Algiers markets.

With the earthquake of 1755, Aljezur and the whole county suffered enormous destruction and away from the village debris, Bishop Francisco Gomes de Avelar designed and made build the temple of the New Church or Our Lady of Alva, in front Castle, across the Aljezur river, aiming to find a flat space and airy, both for the Church but also for the new urban area that should be born and since then was renamed the “New Church”.