Aljustrel

The village of Aljustrel is home to the houses where the Little Shepherds Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta were born. According to the book

According to the book Aljustrel, a Village of Fatima (Sanctuary of Fatima, 1993), Aljustrel “at the beginning of the century had around twenty-five dwellings and its population did not exceed one hundred and thirty inhabitants.” “Agriculture was the main source of production (…) Shepherding, as a complementary activity to agriculture, took on great importance at this time and almost every family had its own small flock of sheep.”

The houses where the Little Shepherds of Fatima were born retain their primitive structure (1). The two houses have a single floor, with whitewashed limestone walls. The interiors, comprising a kitchen, living room, bedrooms and storage rooms, have some period furniture that recreates the scenes of the Shepherds’ childhood.