Felgueiras
Encyclopedia
Felgueiras (ˌfɛɫˈɣɐjɾɐʃ or ˌfɛɫˈɣejɾɐʃ) is a Portuguese
civil parish , located in the municipality of Resende, in the older district of Viseu, Portugal
. In 2001, the population was 315 inhabitants occupying an area of 8.4 km² (approximately 37.5 inhabitants per km²).
term filicarias, who means land of the fetos, Portuguese
for fern
s. Its origin, came from Roman explorers in the region:
Yet, its settlement did not begin with the Romans.
In the mountains of São Cristóvão, around Felgueiras, several mounds have been discovered, remnants of castros
dating back to the Neolithic
. Digs in September of 1994, near the Chapel of São Cristóvão (under the direction of Eduardo Jorge) discovered remnants of a megalithic cromlechs and other constructions, dating to the third or fourth millennium A.D., used as an astronomic observatory. The cromlech was used as a calender to mark the seasons and/or as a sanctuary for tribal divinities. Historians continue to refer to these settlements as pre-Celtic, which could have been the Ligures
or Turduli
, common in the Iberian peninsula.
Moorish occupation in the region led to the names common in the toponymy, such as Alcoreiro, Albaredo and Alborda. The appearance of Sanfins and São Cristóvão, after the Reconquista
in the 10th and 11th century.
Felgueiras first appeared in the 13th century (1258), during the inventory and administrative inquiries of King Afonso III
, as part of the Honra de Resende, which pertained to the descendents of Egas Moniz
. In these documents the first settlements in the area of Felgueiras were identified: Firoos (Ferrós), Veyroos, Pumeiral (Pimeirol), Vineais (Vinhais) and Cyringos, which all belong to the parish of Felgueiras. In a 1227 document, Domingos Mendes donates the parish to the Monastery of Salzedas, on his death in order to find absolution and in order to be buried in the Monastery, in addition to receiving the benefits of the Order of Cister.
Another document, in 1234, from Dórdia Pires donated to small home in Felgueiras to the monastery. Likewise, in 1229, Alda Vasques donated two residences in Felgueiras, one in Ceringos and two in Pimentel.
When King Manuel
provided a foral
(royal charter) in 1513 to the Honra de Resende, Felgueiras became a parish of the municipality, under the jurisdiction of the noble of Resende.
The first building dedicated to the local Junta de Freguesia , was constructed in 1981, in Outeiro do Espírito Santo, along the road from Felgueiras to Monte de São Cristóvão.
, south by Feirão and Panchorra, and west by Ovadas.
From São Cristóvão to Carvoeiro, and from Ladário to Côto, the land is built on a plateau of escarpments bisected by river valleys from 700 to 1142 metres altitude. The highest altitude is dominated by Monte de São Cristóvão, at an alitude of 1141 metres, cut by mountain valleys that trek towards the Douro River. Landscapes from this mountain include the valley of Bestança, the Serra do Marão, a freat part of the Douro Valley, in addition to the Serra do Gerês, on certain days.
With an accented relief, Montemuro is covered in heather
and species of plants of the families Fabaceae
, in addition to wild Maritime pine
. Common adders and White willow grow along the ravines, while in the forests of Portuguese oak owls are common.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
civil parish , located in the municipality of Resende, in the older district of Viseu, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. In 2001, the population was 315 inhabitants occupying an area of 8.4 km² (approximately 37.5 inhabitants per km²).
History
The toponymy of the region comes from the LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
term filicarias, who means land of the fetos, Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s. Its origin, came from Roman explorers in the region:
- "...well established in Cárquere, the Romans did not decease the exploration the area...in the direction of mount São Cristóvão, they encountered ferns in all directions...Felgueiras appeared in that way, by name, linked to the Roman colony of Cárquere and, certainly, in its primordial history."
Yet, its settlement did not begin with the Romans.
In the mountains of São Cristóvão, around Felgueiras, several mounds have been discovered, remnants of castros
Castro culture
Castro culture is the archaeological term for naming the Celtic archaeological culture of the northwestern regions of the Iberian Peninsula from the end of the Bronze Age until it was subsumed in local Roman culture...
dating back to the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
. Digs in September of 1994, near the Chapel of São Cristóvão (under the direction of Eduardo Jorge) discovered remnants of a megalithic cromlechs and other constructions, dating to the third or fourth millennium A.D., used as an astronomic observatory. The cromlech was used as a calender to mark the seasons and/or as a sanctuary for tribal divinities. Historians continue to refer to these settlements as pre-Celtic, which could have been the Ligures
Ligures
The Ligures were an ancient people who gave their name to Liguria, a region of north-western Italy.-Classical sources:...
or Turduli
Turduli
The Turduli were an ancient Celtiberian tribe of Lusitania, akin to the Lusitanians. They lived in the south of modern Portugal, in the east of the province of Alentejo, along the Guadiana valley , and Extremadura proper...
, common in the Iberian peninsula.
Moorish occupation in the region led to the names common in the toponymy, such as Alcoreiro, Albaredo and Alborda. The appearance of Sanfins and São Cristóvão, after the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
in the 10th and 11th century.
Felgueiras first appeared in the 13th century (1258), during the inventory and administrative inquiries of King Afonso III
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
, as part of the Honra de Resende, which pertained to the descendents of Egas Moniz
Egas Moniz
António Caetano de Abreu Freire Egas Moniz , known as Egas Moniz , was a Portuguese neurologist and the developer of cerebral angiography...
. In these documents the first settlements in the area of Felgueiras were identified: Firoos (Ferrós), Veyroos, Pumeiral (Pimeirol), Vineais (Vinhais) and Cyringos, which all belong to the parish of Felgueiras. In a 1227 document, Domingos Mendes donates the parish to the Monastery of Salzedas, on his death in order to find absolution and in order to be buried in the Monastery, in addition to receiving the benefits of the Order of Cister.
Another document, in 1234, from Dórdia Pires donated to small home in Felgueiras to the monastery. Likewise, in 1229, Alda Vasques donated two residences in Felgueiras, one in Ceringos and two in Pimentel.
When King Manuel
Manuel of Portugal
-Kings:* Manuel I of Portugal , 14th King of Portugal* Manuel II of Portugal , 34th and last King of -Infante:* Infante Manuel, Count of Ourém , son of Peter II of Portugal...
provided a foral
Foral
thumb|left|200px|Foral of Castro Verde - PortugalThe word foral derives from the Portuguese word foro, ultimately from Latin forum, equivalent to Spanish fuero, Galician foro, Catalan furs and Basque foru ....
(royal charter) in 1513 to the Honra de Resende, Felgueiras became a parish of the municipality, under the jurisdiction of the noble of Resende.
The first building dedicated to the local Junta de Freguesia , was constructed in 1981, in Outeiro do Espírito Santo, along the road from Felgueiras to Monte de São Cristóvão.
Geography
Nestled in the mountains, where the Montemuro inclines towards the Douro valley, Felgueiras is a parishes of hilltops, escarpments and semi-forested ranges located eight kilometres southeast of the village of Resende. The parish is limited in the north by the civil parish of Cárquere and Resende, to the east by PausPaus
Paus is a Norwegian and Swedish family of clergymen, civil servants, merchants, industrialists and land-owners, among others, traceable back to the late 15th century and a man named Oluf...
, south by Feirão and Panchorra, and west by Ovadas.
From São Cristóvão to Carvoeiro, and from Ladário to Côto, the land is built on a plateau of escarpments bisected by river valleys from 700 to 1142 metres altitude. The highest altitude is dominated by Monte de São Cristóvão, at an alitude of 1141 metres, cut by mountain valleys that trek towards the Douro River. Landscapes from this mountain include the valley of Bestança, the Serra do Marão, a freat part of the Douro Valley, in addition to the Serra do Gerês, on certain days.
With an accented relief, Montemuro is covered in heather
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
and species of plants of the families Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
, in addition to wild Maritime pine
Maritime Pine
Pinus pinaster, the Maritime Pine, is a pine native to the western and southwestern Mediterranean region. The pejorative name 'pinaster' is derived from pinus + aster, translating as 'a poor imitation of a pine' Pinus pinaster, the Maritime Pine, is a pine native to the western and southwestern...
. Common adders and White willow grow along the ravines, while in the forests of Portuguese oak owls are common.
Economy
Throughout its history its residents have been dedicated to agriculture and animal husbandry, activities that today continue to predominate the parish.Religious
- Chapel of São Cristóvão - known for a sculpted image in granite, the chapel in honour of Saint ChristopherSaint Christopher.Saint Christopher is a saint venerated by Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, listed as a martyr killed in the reign of the 3rd century Roman Emperor Decius or alternatively under the Roman Emperor Maximinus II Dacian...
celebrates annual festivals on 25 July;