Human settlement in the area of Santa Bárbara de Nexe goes back to the Middle Paleolithic, and the area came to be inhabited by Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula, namely the Cynetes. Phoenicians, Roman and Arab trading routes crossed these lands, where many came to occupy.; the oldest resident was the Roman, Sextus Numisius Eros, from the 2nd century AD: his name was left behind in a local funerary stone. Later, the area had some Phoenician influence, was incorporated by Ancient Rome, become part of the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania, and was conquered by the Moors and incorporated in the Al'GarbAl-Andalus. The area would eventually be incorporated in the Kingdom of Portugal during the end of the PortugueseReconquista against the Moors, in the 1272, by KingAfonso III of Portugal. The eldest reference to a place called "Nexe" appears in 1291 in a chart about the boundaries of Faro and Loulé. During the 14th century, the parochial church was constructed on the site of an ancient chapel. Santa Bárbara de Nexe became a parish in the 16th century.
Geography
Santa Bárbara de Nexe is located in the Barrocal Algarvia in a natural amphitheater on the flanks of the Serra de Monte Figo, over the Ria Formosa and Atlantic Ocean.
Church of Santa Bárbara, the Manueline, Baroque and Neoclassic architectural site, developed from the 1444 chapel, supported by the Order of St. James, and recognizable by the complex Gothic-like spine vaulted ceiling in its interior and arches, and the tall vertical, square belltower;
Hermitage of Santa Catarina, located in Gorjões, the chapel is a simple 17th century structure, includes a lateral belfrey;
Culture
At the beginning of every year, the Charolas, groups of men and women, accompanied by instruments, that play in the festivals of Bordeira, Santa Bárbara de Nexe and the surrounding homes of friends and local cafés. In these locations the Charolas play songs and improvised chants to mark the New Year, in a climate of friendship, solidarity and socio-political critiques. The Charolas are manifestations of the traditional culture of Santa Bárbara, and unique to the region, like the popular poetry, improvisation and lack of religious symbology. The Charolas of Nexe, during the middle of the 20th century, reached their zenith with the accordionists of Bordeira, that included José Ferreiro and João Barra Bexiga, in addition to the popular poetry of António Aleixo and Clementino Baeta.
